Business

Mills River leaders to ask for liquor store

By Bill Moss, Published: July 20, 2012

MILLS RIVER — Mills River Town Board members sounded like they regret not moving forward earlier to start an ABC board. It's too late now.The May 8 ballot questions in which voters broadly loosened Henderson County's beer, wine and liquor laws prevents Mills River from starting its own board. Henderson County commissioners have now created an ABC board, and Mills River has no power to control where an ABC store might go. Worse, from the town council's point of view, it has no right to a cut of the sales.
"I have a couple of concerns with Henderson County's ABC board," said Mayor Roger Snyder. "They never asked nobody. They didn't talk to Laurel Park or Fletcher. They didn't talk to Hendersonville."
The alcohol votes have brought a number of changes that apply in the towns, now that the county has passed the new rules. Restaurants in Mills River and Flat Rock can apply for permission to sell and beer and wine, just as those in the county can.
The ABC stores in Hendersonville, Laurel Park and Fletcher — all run by separate ABC boards — are not affected, except to the extent that new liquor stores started by the county could cut their sales.
Mills River council members cast about for ways to make money off the changes but found limited opportunity. The town must approve a zoning permit, and can charge for that, and the mayor fills out something called a "local government opinion" form, which asks questions about the applicant's character.
State law shoots down other ideas. Snyder asked whether Fletcher would open an ABC store in Mills River and share the proceeds. Can't happen, the director of the state ABC Commission Laurie Lee, told local government leaders at a meeting earlier this week.
The county Board of Commissioners has now appointed its own five-member ABC board, which will begin the process of writing a business plan. The Mills River council directed town manager Jaime Laughter to approach the ABC board about Mills River's interests. Specifically, she will tell the board Mills River is interested in having a liquor store — council members talked about a parcel in the Food Lion shopping center as a possible site — and would like to share in the profits.
It may be a long while before anyone sees any money. A new ABC board should expect to raise $1 million to start a store, which would turn a profit in 10 years, Lee told local leaders.