Mayfair Civic to discuss development plans for Lawrel Liquors site

by BRIAN NADIG

A plan to renovate the former Lawrel Liquors building, 4471 W. Lawrence Ave., as part of a project to open an upscale liquor store with a wine-tasting room will be discussed at the Thursday, Feb. 9, meeting of the Mayfair Civic Association.

“They want to rehab the interior and make it look nice,” association president Ron Duplack said. “They’re also looking at the exterior. There’d be upscale and specialty scotches, a cooler where you can walk in for beer.”

Lawrel, which closed about a year ago, had a taproom adjacent to its liquor store, and plans call for it to be converted into a space for wineries to hold tastings and other events, Duplack said.

Duplack said that the project would require a moratorium on issuing new liquor licenses in the area to be lifted. The B3-1 zoning of the site also requires the Zoning Board of Appeals to issue a special use permit for a liquor store.

Duplack said that the business seeking to open at the Lawrel site has suburban stores, and project officials will be asked to attend the meeting, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox Ave.

The agenda for the meeting also includes reported improvements which could be made for L & P Liquors and Taproom, 4001 W. Lawrence Ave.