Liquor store owners lining up to put locations in Corbin; annexation requests rolling in, official say

Since Corbin voters narrowly approved the sale of packaged liquor following a citywide referendum vote on Feb. 20, local officials say interest from businesses and individuals who want to sell alcohol has been high.

According to Corbin Building Inspector Frank Burke, representatives from Liquor Barn and Liquor Mart stores have already expressed interest in opening locations in Corbin.

"We’ve had some others contact us as well, but they didn’t say who they were with. Those two places were very open about it. They are obviously interested," Burke said. "Everyone is just wanting to know what they need to do and when they can do it. Hopefully, we can all get on the same page and make this happen the right way."

Aside from alcohol, Liquor Barn locations normally sell specialty foods and other festival and party supplies.

Liquor Mart is a chain of stores owned by Corbin native Paul Taylor. It has locations in Richmond, Danville, Lancaster and Manchester.

Last November, while organizers were still busy rounding up signatures to put the measure on the ballot, Taylor publicly expressed interest in opening a Corbin location if voters approved the issue.

"We employ between 15 and 25 people per store. Between Danville and Lancaster we pay $350,000 a year in taxes to those cities. I think it would be very good for the economy in Corbin," Taylor said. "I’m very interested in opening a store in Corbin. I’ve already been looking at land there. I think it’s a great market."

According to Taylor, his stores do roughly $25 million in sales annually. He opened his first "Liquor Mart" in 1992 with a $15,000 loan from a Corbin bank. Now, he keeps an average of $1.5 million to $2 million worth of inventory on hand in each location.

"It’s a big investment, but you have to do it to be competitive," Taylor said.

Burke said those interested in opening liquor stores have been scoping out suitable locations in different areas in recent days.

"Everybody is trying to find a good spot," Burke said. "I think they’ve got some good locations in mind."

Officials say it appears three licenses for package stores will be allowed by the Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control Board for the city. The number of licenses allowed is based on population.

Those interested will submit applications for a license to Col. Bruce Rains, a city police officer who also serves as the town’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Administrator. Rains has the option to cull out any applicants who are unqualified. The remaining applications are then sent to the Danny Reed, the state’s Distilled Spirits Administrator and one of three members of the Kentucky ABC Board. Reed, in consultation with local officials, will then decide who is awarded the licenses.

An unlimited number of qualifying stores will be able to get licenses to sell beer.

Approval of the ballot initiative has had another side effect, said Corbin Mayor Willard McBurney on Tuesday. Several local businesses have expressed interest in or outright asked to be annexed into the city of Corbin so that they may sell alcohol.’

"I know the Circle K store out on Cumberland Falls Hwy. submitted their paperwork to be annexed yesterday," McBurney said. "We’ve had several more ask. Another person on the other side of town is wanting to come in too I think."

Burke confirmed that Circle K had expressed interest in being annexed.

Corbin city leaders made the move two years to annex Fifth Street Road and Cumberland Falls Hwy. to the point where the two roads intersect as a way to open up the option to property owners who may be interested in annexation. Originally, the plan was to only annex Corbin Primary School.

Bruce Carpenter, Corbin’s Director of Economic Development, said Tuesday he’s hoping organize a community forum with the Kentucky ABC Board to educate the public, and those interested in obtaining licenses, about the process. He’s hoping it can happen in the next week.

McBurney said before anything else is done, the city must first pass ordinances that set the ground rules, fees and taxes for alcohol sales in the city. With that, city leaders are expected to approve a measure that would lower the requirement that restaurants in the city that serve alcohol have at least 70 percent of gross sales be food. It would go down to 50 percent.