99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

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99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License
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(Photo: John Palminteri / KEYT News)

By an edhat reader

I noticed the 99 Cents Only Store at 424 State Street has signs in the window that they will soon be able to sell alcohol, specifically beer and wine, at their location.

I do appreciate the offer for discounted items as this is one of the only stores in Santa Barbara that offers it. And if you've ever visited, there are all types of demographics in there shopping for discounts. This is an expensive place to live and more stores like this are sorely needed.

However, I wonder what type of crowd the beer and wine sales will attract. Do edhat readers have an opinion on this?

(Photo: John Palminteri / KEYT News)
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33 Comments

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a-1563352003
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Apr 28, 2018 07:13 AM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

WHO CARES? WHY IS THIS SUCH A BIG DEAL??! There are dozens of places to buy cheap booze on State Street already. Having a discount store selling alcohol is no reason for a NIMBY uproar that relies on fabricated stories of State Street being like "skid row!" If you had ever been to skid row, you would realize that even with the local homeless population, we still live in a impressively pristine paradise.

Roger
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Apr 27, 2018 04:24 PM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

Some guy threatened me once said if I went to the .99 cent store he was going to beat me up he was on Facebook when he threatened me called me Gran Pa...I have been there a few times since but no one has ever come after me. It's to bad their stuff is more expensive now.

Flicka
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Apr 27, 2018 04:18 PM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

REX, With cheap wines you didn't mention "Red Mountain", $1.98 a gallon (in the 1960s). It showed up at every party. No where on the label did it actually say "wine", but it worked. I remember lower State as "skid row" in the 1950s, no doubt before and after that too.

'goose
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Apr 27, 2018 10:22 AM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

No more "99 cents only" , the price can be higher. They did the same thing in Santa Maria. Now, be aware of prices as you shop! However, there are still several stores, Dollar General, etc, that still adhere to the $1 or less price.

Factotum
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Apr 27, 2018 10:20 AM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

7-11's **appear** to be a hand in glove operation between EBT misuse for junk food and drug deals for cash in the 7-11 parking lots. Anyone else concerned 7-11's are popping up everywhere bringing this scourge into all neighborhoods. These are not mom and pop small business operations - they **appear** to be something far more sinister and corrosive exploiting "other peoples money". I hope someone is looking into what **appears* to be a very bad connection.

Factotum
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Apr 27, 2018 02:30 PM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

Since my tax dollars support "food stamps" for the alleged "needy, it is my business they are used only to buy nutritious food for sustainence - and not junk food empty calories with high street value for cash. This is not hard to understand. No more junk food purchases using tax supported EBT cards. Period.

Lucky 777
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Apr 27, 2018 09:46 AM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

My clients yesterday came in from Ohio and were appalled at the condition of lower State Street. They quite innocently strolled out in search of a meal and were followed by vagrants, shouted at by transients, and generally astonished at the "Skid Row" feel. Selling cheap booze in the middle of the strip will only make the situation worse, it will become a watering hole for the disaffected. The local gubmint allows this degradation to continue in the spirit of pc, and as a result we are losing the beautiful downtown.

Factotum
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Apr 27, 2018 10:26 AM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

With more and more properties taken off the city tax rolls and dedicated to tax free non-profit housing, the city revenue burden falls are fewer and fewer high-end property owners who remain in this city. They are also getting hit every which way against Sunday in ways that degrade their property values - ADU and AUD inflicting unwanted density in their former quiet retreats for which they were willing to pay premium prices and sky high property taxes. Your clients were right to be alarmed - what is really going on with the city's agenda that for the past few decades seems bent on destroying what made it so unique and now bending only to the illusive tax revenue gods, who are in fact eating them alive. Voters, you did this to yourselves - you put the city employee unions candidates at the front of the line and they in turn pay homage only to the short-term tax revenue gods and fail to observe or account for what their policies have done to the long-term fiscal stabillity of this entire city. The city unions cannot keep robbing the few remaining high-end taxpayers.

a-1563352003
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Apr 27, 2018 09:55 AM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

LUCKY777 - there's already a 7-11 going in 2 blocks away on State and there's liquor stores and Rite Aid nearby as well. So, if you're concerned that another cheap booze shop will increase the homeless population on State, I think you may have bigger fish to fry.

shorebird
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Apr 27, 2018 08:35 AM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

The 99 cents store is now The 99 cents and more store. Perhaps they will have some wine with the equivalent quality of two buck chuck. Also may have $1.99 40 oz beer.

jak
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Apr 27, 2018 07:33 AM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

So let me see if I understand the problem here. Alcohol sales on State Street are fine as long as only wealthy people can afford to buy it and The 99 Cent Store will be selling alcohol that people with little money can afford. Am I understanding the problem correctly?

a-1563352003
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Apr 27, 2018 08:38 AM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

JAK - that's probably a big part of it. Also, I think there's concern that with 99 cent liquor, the homeless, who are known for drinking and being drunk in public, will purchase more liquor and be even more of a problem than they already are downtown.

Factotum
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Apr 26, 2018 08:08 PM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

The cycle will be complete, Lower State yet again becomes our very own skid row, which they tried to clean up when they put in Paseo Nuevo a few decades ago. Entropy wins again.

Middle Ground
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Apr 26, 2018 11:42 AM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

The last time I was at the 99¢ store there were transients out front drinking beer anyway. It’s probably not a good idea, but if the permitting process is legal and they are eligible I can’t see them being declined. Preventing the sale of cheap alcohol here will not help solve the greater problem of homelessness and mental illness.

a-1563352003
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Apr 26, 2018 11:17 AM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

Another thought I had after my first post: This, in addition to the proposed 7-11 adds to the already excessive amount of alcohol available on lower State. It's interesting how hard people fight against cannabis stores, but at the same time we're saturating (pun intended) State street with booze.

a-1563352003
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Apr 26, 2018 11:03 AM
99 Cents Store Applies for Alcohol License

99 cent wine? Hmmm, this should be interesting! But seriously, I think we all know what "type of crowd" the alcohol sales will attract. It's the same people who go to liquor stores, 7-11s, bars, etc. That is, people who like to drink.

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