Tops Markets looks to add beer and wine sales to East 38th Street store in Erie
Tops Friendly Markets on East 38th street might soon be added to the growing list of retailers selling beer and wine in Erie.
The store, located at 1702 E. 38th St., is seeking to transfer a restaurant liquor license to that location. A public hearing for the transfer of the license from Millcreek Township to Erie is scheduled for Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in Erie City Council chambers, 626 State St. The meeting is open to the public.
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What are the plans?
"Tops has applied for a license so that it may sell beer and wine to its customers, an amenity the store has been seeking," said Kathy Sautter, a spokeswoman for the Buffalo-based grocery company.
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"We are still in the permitting and approval stage of the process, but Tops Markets look forward to the time when it is able to sell both wine and beer at this location," she said.
What could be sold?
The restaurant liquor license would allow Tops' customers to buy three liters of wine, the equivalent of four normal bottles of wine, per transaction, as well as 192 ounces of beer, the equivalent of 12 16-ounce bottles.
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Tops already sells beer and wine at stores in Meadville, Warren, Bradford and at 712 W 38th St. in Erie.
Liquor license transfer
Tops is buying the liquor license that had been placed in safekeeping by Fun Eats and Drinks LLC, which did business as Fox & Hound English Pub in the Millcreek Plaza.
Fox & Hound closed in March 2020 as Pennsylvania was ordering shutdowns for many nonessential businesses, said Joe Bell, spokesman for the Youngstown-based Cafaro Co. that owns the Millcreek Mall.
Fox & Hound never reopened, he said.
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The timetable
There was no word from Tops when beer and wine might be available at its East 38th Street location.
Contact Jim Martin at jmartin@timesnews.com.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Tops Markets looks to add beer, wine sales at East 38th Street in Erie
