Booze issue pits Tacoma school against pizza parlor
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TACOMA, Wash. -- Officials from a Tacoma school weren't happy when a pizza parlor that sells alcohol tried to open up across the street.
Nobody has a problem with pizza, but the battle is over the space between the school and the booze.
Tacoma's Guy Snell wants to bring new life to I Street with Sammy's Pizza. The problem is, he also wants to sell beer, wine and spirits at the restaurant, and local parents say it would be just too close to Lowell Elementary School.
"I am a little bit stuck. It's a little frustrating," Snell said. "The perception that adding liquor adds trouble."
Parents and school officials fought back and told the Liquor Control Board to deny Snell's liquor application. Washington law says schools can object if a business sells alcohol within 500 feet of the school. The board gives school what amounts to veto power over licenses that are in the bubble.
From door to door, the pizza shop is located exactly 426 feet and four inches from the school.
Parents like Mike Abella say they're fine with the pizza, but they have a problem with the booze.
"With kids at recess just across the street, I don't know if that's a great idea," Abella said.
Other parents aren't as concerned.
"I don't see people going to the bar between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. when the kids are in school," said Lisah Song.
Chris Mullins isn't against alcohol, but he doesn't think severing booze so close to a school is worth the risk.
"Bringing anyone and adding more traffic to this corridor right here is not good with the kids around," Mullins said.
But Snell said he just wants to start a dialogue and prove people wrong about his pizza place.
"I just want to say, 'What can we do? Talk to me,'" he said.
Snell said he wants to work with the school to change his hours or even stick to just beer and wine. The district, its legal counsel and Lowell's principal wouldn't comment on the story.
Nobody has a problem with pizza, but the battle is over the space between the school and the booze.
Tacoma's Guy Snell wants to bring new life to I Street with Sammy's Pizza. The problem is, he also wants to sell beer, wine and spirits at the restaurant, and local parents say it would be just too close to Lowell Elementary School.
"I am a little bit stuck. It's a little frustrating," Snell said. "The perception that adding liquor adds trouble."
Parents and school officials fought back and told the Liquor Control Board to deny Snell's liquor application. Washington law says schools can object if a business sells alcohol within 500 feet of the school. The board gives school what amounts to veto power over licenses that are in the bubble.
From door to door, the pizza shop is located exactly 426 feet and four inches from the school.
Parents like Mike Abella say they're fine with the pizza, but they have a problem with the booze.
"With kids at recess just across the street, I don't know if that's a great idea," Abella said.
Other parents aren't as concerned.
"I don't see people going to the bar between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. when the kids are in school," said Lisah Song.
Chris Mullins isn't against alcohol, but he doesn't think severing booze so close to a school is worth the risk.
"Bringing anyone and adding more traffic to this corridor right here is not good with the kids around," Mullins said.
But Snell said he just wants to start a dialogue and prove people wrong about his pizza place.
"I just want to say, 'What can we do? Talk to me,'" he said.
Snell said he wants to work with the school to change his hours or even stick to just beer and wine. The district, its legal counsel and Lowell's principal wouldn't comment on the story.
Why didn't he do his homework before setting up shop? Any moran would question how the school and parents would react. I don't think it's the fear of the kids going in or walking by as much as some of the low lifes it will attract.
Wow!! If the people posting comments here are also patrons of Petey's pizza, I wouldn't want it in my neighborhood either. Life in a vacuum........really?
"Chris Mullins isn't against alcohol, but he doesn't think severing booze so close to a school is worth the risk." Really? Severing? Am I the only one who caught that, or am I reading it wrong?Â
...... it appears that "the people have spoken"... and ironic that the school officials didn't want to comment.... things that make you go "hmmmm"....
Our society is stupid. I am pretty sure the place isn't going to sell a 6th grader a rum and coke or a pitcher of Bud Light. However being so close to a gun free zone isn't the brightest idea for the pizza parlor.
*rolls eyes*
What are they worried about? Teachers coming back from lunch drunk?
On second thought, given the problems with drugs, sex and shootings at schools these days, the pizza parlor might want to find a new place - the school is a bigger risk to the pizza parlor than the pizza parlor is to the school.
OMG what a bunch of puritan idiots. It's a pizza parlor you frigging morons. My god, get over yourselves already. Pizza and beer across the street won't hurt a thing. Do you really think elementary school kids are going to start coming in and asking for beer after school??
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Oh country is doomed by the stupidity of the lowest common denominator.
b-b-b-but what about the chiiiiiildren?
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parents today are hilarious. helmets on kids at the playground, everyone is a winner, etc
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as many others have pointed out, lil timmy isn't going to stroll in and order up a pitcher. the parents and school are ninnies.
@SwampThing   not to mention, it's not like the old days when we (kids) actually WALKED home form school.... all the parents DRIVE their kids or they are on buses.. maybe the parents are worried they will wanna stop in for a cold one while they are waiting for their kids!!
 @Heather Red I see people taking their kids to junior high that, literally, live three blocks away from the school. It's no wonder the kids now are getting overweight. My son usually walks to and from school, but I will ocassionally take him or pick him up.Â
wow, can't believe someone would set up so close to a school. Â After all we don't want all those grade schoolers drinking and having pizza on their lunch break.
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People need to get a grip and look at the real problems that face us.
Chuck E Cheese serves beer and wine and they are always full of kids who's parents have a couple of drinks then drive the family home. Where is the outrage that alcohol is served at a children's party restaurant?
 @Robinsnest I just hosted a Halloween / going away party for my daughters. They had about 20 of their friends and classmates in my basement. I have alcohol in my house, you think I am going to burn in hell now?
 @KJB1776 Who ever said anything about burning in hell? I was comparing this group of parents misplaced outrage about alcohol being so close to their school but yet most likely take their kids to CEC where alcohol is served. I don't have any problems with you having alcohol in your home(heck my husband brews his own beer and I keep a couple of bottles of wine in the house and we have 4 kids), only maybe if you served it to underage kids would I find that wrong.
Seriously???? Another officer on the ship of fools with another ridiculous viewpoint. Do-gooder w/o a life.Â
The PTA is a joke, oh gee, how many times have their little bundle of joy seen mommy and daddy drink
So what are they fear is going to happen? A 10 year old is gonna go in and buy beer? Okay, I see the traffic concerns to an extent, but that's really about it.
Yeah, heaven forbid some 3rd grader wanders 425 feet away from school, stumbles into a pizza place, sidles up to the bar and orders himself a pitcher of Coors Light.
 @thatsjarrodThat's 426 feet and FOUR inches! LOL! I know, ridiculous.
TELL THEÂ PARENTS TOÂ LOOK ATÂ THEMÂ SELVESÂ Â THEYÂ DRINKÂ EVERYÂ DAYÂ Â SOÂ WHYÂ CAN.T THE PIZZAÂ GUYÂ SELLÂ LIQOURÂ Â LEAVEÂ HIM ALONE
I bet non of these whining parents consume alcohol in front of their children either.
Can't you buy beer and wine at Dave's Meat & Produce, about 20 feet away from Sammy's, right next door?
If they buy into Sammy's pizza as co owners then they can have input on this owners business. Its better than being 426 feet and 4 inches from the high school where those teens know what drinking is whereas elementary kids just want to have their recess and such.
Perhaps if the problem is all about alcohol then the pizza place will offer to sell it after 5pm when the elementary kids are at home in front of their Playstation/Xbox and Spongebob faux parents?
 @DarkRenegade That's a very good idea, to start selling alcohol after all the kids are gone from the school.
If these parents are so concerned... Maybe send little Billy or Susie to private schools where their individual needs can be met....
 @Funky-Munky Or better yet, a school far away from the most dangerous thing........CARS!
Now that liquor sales are privitized, you can buy alcohol almost anywhere, grocery stores, Walgreens, pretty much on every corner. Some of those corners are near schools. Granted, I understand that if you buy a bottle of booze at Safeway, chances are you are not going to consume it on the premises, but there is still a risk involved. If someone wants to get drunk and drive, they will do it. At least if they are drinking at Sammy's someone will be monitoring their intake.
What's hilarious is all the people here saying "well nothing is going to happen, let them have it!" are going to be the same people crying "it's an atrocity" if it goes in and some freak accident DOES happen.
 @Malone No, because many of us realize anytime anyplace poo happens.... could be a maniac takes over the school on drugs etc. or joe blow had a pitcher of beer and backed over Susie or Johnny..... Don't you know soccer moms are already drunk or stoned picking up little Johnny and Susie from school... Ha!
 @Funky-Munky Well... only the really hot soccer moms.
 @Malone Agreed... Ha! I understand your post completely though....
this is ridiculous! whats going to happen? i guess one could argue that people will be drinking and driving drunk next to an elementary school but at the same time, kids aren't going to be walking around outside until BEFORE and AFTER school, not during. and as someone else said, how many people are really going to be going to a pizza place by a school to get drunk before 3pm? really???
Sure hope Mike Abella covers his precious kids eyes when a beer or any other alcohol commercial pops up on tv. Or how about those billboards? When shopping do you avoid the alcohol aisle? I am so damn sick of listening to these type of "rubberize the world" parents....
Amazing.. I'm sure most people have some kind of booze in their homes. that's a whole lot closer than "close" to school! Sounds like they want someone else to blame when junior takes his/her first drink. Those people need to grow up!
Considering the fact that there is booze in grocery stores, it's much ado about nothing.
Well, hey...at least that means that Tacoma schools must have solved all of their other problems if they can devote time and energy to this nothing issue, right?
 @Mumblix Grumph Helicopter parents..... lookin' for plastic bubbles to put their little dumplings in.
This guy seems like he wants to work it out with parents, neighborhood, school, etc. He said he'd be willing to look at the hours of operation including just serving beer and wine instead of spirits. I hope he gets to open his little pizza joint and I'll come down for a brew and slice.
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 @wickedwitch:Â
I sure as hell hope you are trying to be funny or sarcastic.
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Children go into restaurants WITH THEIR FAMILIES that serve boozre - and the children seem to survive that just fine. How is it being served WHILE THEY ARE IN SCHOOL going to negatively affect or impact them?
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I think the man should get his license - toop bad all the helicopter parents are against it.
@LocalLady @wickedwitch: He said he'd be willing to look at the hours of operation including just serving beer and wine instead of spirits. THAT'S NOT WHAT I SAID, IT'S WHAT HE SAID. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
@LocalLady @wickedwitch: Sarcastic about what? I'm just hoping they work with him to give him his license. I'm just fine with him serving liquor - I was stating what he "said" in regards to working with the school. IMO - he should get his license to serve spirits. Please re-read what I wrote.
Hilarious... liquor is on every friggin' block already including the parents own homes! Good luck.
Are these parents saying they have failed at parenting their children?
Sure smells like trouble brewing alright. I mean, what if those little tykes sneak into that pizza place with fake I.D.'s and throw back a couple of pitchers at recess? It could be PANDEMONIUM!!! Seriously though? When was your local "Alfy's" a huge problem? P.C. is getting to be the new paranoia.
Seriously?