Irwin OKs Sunoco station owner's request for liquor license transfer

Irwin officials approved a Sunoco gas station and convenience store owner’s request to transfer a liquor license so that beer and wine could be sold at the site along Route 30 sometime next year.

Borough council this week approved the request from S&D Oil Co. of Upper St. Clair to transfer the license owned by Bartley Enterprises Inc. to the station at 9616 Route 30, adjacent to the Conley Inn.

The company, which purchased the store in June for $610,000, needed the borough’s approval of the liquor license transfer before the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board would review its application for selling alcohol, said Greg Szallar, a Pittsburgh attorney who represented S&D Oil.

S&D Oil was seeking to purchase an existing liquor license in Irwin, but none were available, Szallar said.

“This is something they need to do to hang on to their customers,” said Szallar.

Those stores, which were converted from traditional service stations, compete with corporate operations such as Sheetz and GetGo.

S&D Oil plans to expand 1,200-square-foot building by 300 square feet to provide seating for up to 30 patrons, Szallar said. They plan to sell pizza and sandwiches. Although indoor seating will be available, most patrons purchase their beer and wine for takeout, Szallar said.

There will not be outdoor seating, Szallar said.

S&D Oil will invest about $750,000 to obtain the liquor license and expand the store. Additional money will be spent to upgrade the fuel pumps, he said.

The approval might take a few months, Szallar said, and construction likely would not begin until next year.

Zach Kansler, borough solicitor, told council members they would need a valid reason based on concerns over public health or safety to reject the request. The owners could appeal such a rejection, Kansler said.

Councilwoman Leslie Savage, the lone opponent, said she did not believe it was a good location to sell alcohol. It is close to the Villages of Easton apartment complex and close to the Dunkin’ doughnut franchise, which she said creates a traffic problem on the highway. Borough officials have sought to remedy the problem of Dunkin’ patrons stopping their vehicles on Route 30 as they wait in a line to get into the restaurant’s drive-thru window.