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Paterson councilwoman marshals neighborhood to oppose liquor store | Paterson Times

Paterson councilwoman marshals neighborhood to oppose liquor store

ruby-cotton

Councilwoman Ruby Cotton assembled more than a dozen neighborhood residents to oppose the opening of a liquor store in her ward on Wednesday evening.

Cotton and 15 neighborhood residents opposed the place to place transfer of a liquor license to 442 10th Avenue before the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board.

Alvin Gordon, who resides three door from the proposed liquor store, shared his experience living near the notorious establishment. He said rowdy patrons would exit the establishment, urinate in his garage and engage in lewd acts, undeterred by motion sensing lights and cameras.

“They got drunk and they came up my drive way,” said Gordon.

“It’s a very bad corner,” said Carol Brevard, who lives not far from the establishment. “I hope this liquor store stays closed.”

The location was occupied by Moya Bar and Liquors. Residents said that establishment has shut down, and now a new owner Gladys Espejo is trying to re-open the business under the name, “East Side Liquors.”

Cotton said when the liquor store was in operation the large crowds, noise, and drug activity disturbed neighborhood residents. “The quality of life declined badly,” she said.

Winsome Hicks, a neighbor to the establishment, said she’d come home from working two jobs only to find her drive way blocked. She would call police, but no one responded to tow the vehicle to clear her drive way.

Hicks would then drive to the police headquarter seeking assistance.

Some residents said after the closure of the establishment some semblance of peace has returned to that corner. They fear a new liquor store will adversely impact quality of life in the surrounding areas.

Theresa Richardson, attorney for the bar owner, argued the store is being opened by a new owner. “These are different people,” she said. “It’s a different quality of business.”

Richardson, who represents a large number of notorious liquor establishments when they are fined before the ABC Board, was unsuccessful in persuading the residents.

“She’s not going to be running the store,” said Hicks referring to the owner. “She’ll be in her house sleeping well while we’re suffering.”

The city’s police department has compiled data to oppose the opening of the establishment at the location as well.

Those data were presented to Richardson on Wednesday night. A vote on the license transfer was postponed to April 13th, 2016 at 6 p.m. as a result.

ABC officials said Richardson has to be given some time to review the data.

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