Fresh & Easy Reportedly Pulls Liquor Application

ELLIOT ZWIEBACH

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market here has reportedly pulled its application for a liquor license at a store it opened earlier this month in Van Nuys, Calif., after the Los Angeles City Council said it would vote on whether to rescind the license that was pending. Fresh & Easy executives could not be reached for comment. According to the Alliance for Healthy & Responsible Grocery Stores, a coalition of over 25 labor-, environmental-, faith- and community-based organizations that has been at odds with Fresh & Easy over various issues during the past year, the chain originally was denied approval for a liquor license at the Van Nuys store by the city's zoning administration for that area, but that denial was overruled by the area's planning commission; however, when the city councilman who represents Van Nuys sought to have the entire council reconsider the appeal last week, Fresh & Easy withdrew the liquor application, the alliance reported. The alliance said Van Nuys citizens were concerned that the area — which the alliance said has seen an increase in alcohol-related crimes — is already over-saturated with liquor licenses, and there were also concerns that Fresh & Easy's self-checkout policy might make it easier for minors to buy liquor.

Read More of Today's Headlines