Palatine OK's Alcohol Sales at Walmart

The Palatine village council Monday unanimously approved a special use permit for Walmart, located 1555 N. Rand Road to begin selling packaged liquor. 

Sales of wine and beer can now occur only between the hours of 9 a.m. and midnight. From 6 a.m. [when the store opens] until 9 a.m., the area where liquor will be sold will be gated to restrict access to it. 

A newly created Class B-2 liquor license also was approved by the village council, and was added to the village alcoholic beverages code. It allows liquor sales at general merchandisers such as WalMart, and could include Target, though no official requests have been made.

Restrictions under the license differ from grocery stores and other retail locations that sell alcohol. 

The license requires there be 50,000 square feet of floor space, in which a maximum of 5 percent is used for alcoholic beverage displays. Other stipulations are that sales can only include beer and wine, and the store has a pharmacy license. 

The space allotted for liquor sales at Walmart includes one aisle, with 48 feet of refrigerated coolers, 48 feet of shelving and liquor display areas at both endcaps. 

When asked why Walmart did not previously have a liquore license, Village Manager Reid Ottesen simply said, "They never asked for it."

"Staff is supportive of this request, the sales are ancillary and are not a major part of this business," Ottesen said. 

Prior to coming before the village council, the Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously voted to recommend approval of the request.