A new Wal-Mart Supercenter on Muncie's south side will have its grand opening Wednesday, but unlike the north store, it will not sell alcohol or firearms.
The decision not to sell firearms comes as about 1,000 Wal-Mart stores nationwide end their sales based on demand; however, the northside store will continue to sell firearms for now, managers said. But Wal-Mart customers might see alcohol in the southside store after a couple of weeks.
The Delaware County Alcoholic Beverage Board earlier this month did not approve a liquor permit for the super store amid support for and against the license, postponing the issue for its next hearing on May 4.
"I do not know what the local board will do," said Lisa Goldner, Wal-Mart's attorney from Indianapolis. "Hopefully, they'll look at all of the evidence and see that Wal-Mart meets all the requirements and will sell responsibly."
Goldner explained to the board on April 6 about the company's strict training regarding alcoholic beverage sales, she said. All 475 associates, including employees from the store's back deck to the front-door greeters, must pass a computer-based test with a score of 100 percent.
In addition, about 260 state-of-the-art security cameras will be located throughout the store, at the registers and in the store parking lot. The checkout system will also prompt the cashier to check a customer's birthday if he or she appears under age 27 and will only allow the sale of alcohol between 7 a.m. and 3 a.m., Goldner said. The limit for purchases will be 864 ounces of beer and three cases of wine in a single transaction, she said.
The store is also willing to secure liquor bottles, thus requiring associates to use a key bolted to the front register to remove a cap when making a sale, Goldner said.
"You'd have to break the bottle to get it off, so that's another step the store is willing to do to secure liquor," she said.
But Mike Kilgore, owner of Muncie's Friendly Package Liquors, contested Wal-Mart's reception of a liquor permit because the store will be located across from Southside High School on East 29th Street, he said.
"Is it fair to subject minors to that kind of temptation?" Kilgore said. "When a minor goes in and drinks a Jack Daniel's, it's like drinking a whole case of beer. ... If [Wal-Mart] wants to be community-oriented, they should lock up their alcohol and spend the money required to do it."
Goldner, who collected hundreds of signatures for a petition for or against the liquor permit, said most people supported the license. The southside store manager, Tom Leake, has also been working for Wal-Mart for 15 years and was never cited for the illegal sale of alcohol, she said.
Leake worked for the northside Wal-Mart located on Clara Lane, which received its permit three or four weeks after a June 2004 hearing.
"I think they've been doing a responsible job at selling beverages," Goldner said. "They haven't had violations I'm aware of."
But Kilgore said the store would still create competition with LoBills, which is the closest grocery store in the area and is not permitted to sell hard liquor.
"They call us competitors," Kilgore said. "How are we supposed to compete with them?"
Goldner said drug stores and grocery stores had different kinds of permits with certain legal requirements, and the statutory requirements were not for the local alcoholic beverage board to review.
"They need to go to the legislators," Goldner said.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
