Party Pac to Change to Handy Spot Liquor and Relocate to 500 W. Jefferson

Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 9:08 AM

The Party Pac Liquor Store at 114 South Michigan Street in Plymouth received the green light to move to a new location at 500 West Jefferson Street following Tuesday evening’s actions of the Plymouth Board of Zoning Appeals. The new store will be called Handy Spot Liquor.

Nick Singh of Nickibaba LLC from Naperville, IL appeared before the BZA with a request for Special Use to renovate the existing warehouse at the back of 500 West Jefferson Street, while Hoffman Brothers Auto Parts will remain in the front space. Singh was also seeking a Variance of Developmental Standards to replace the current pole sign with a new larger sign and add signage over the entrances to the package liquor store.

Mr. Singh told the BZA their company owns 18 liquor stores in Indiana with the closest one being in Bremen. He said they all look the same and are set up the same on the inside. Singh said he plans to have entrances to the liquor store on both the east and west sides of the building. He told the board where the overhead doors are currently, will be changed into retail entrances with additional windows. He also estimated that 90% of their traffic will use the west entrance.

During the Public Hearing, landlord Calvin Bailey said granting the Special Use and Variance will improve the appearance of the building with more windows and a new look to the building.

Plan Commission member, Fred Webster asked if the new pole sign would be electronic with motion. Mr. Singh said the sign will not have any electronics for flashing lights and changing messages.

Following the public hearing, board members discussed a parking restriction on the east side of the building along 1st Street. The city has an ordinance prohibiting backing out across two lanes of traffic but either parallel or angle parking could be permitted on the east side of the building. They did limit the parking area from the front of the building to the new retail entrance and not any further to the north.

There was also a discussion of the signage variance because the new pole sign is larger than the city permits and there is a limit of four signs per location. The Handy Spot Liquor store is seeking 4 spaces on the new pole sign and two large signs over both the east and west entrances.

The Plymouth Board of Zoning Appeals approved the Special Use Variance for the signs with all five members voting in favor.