Board signals opposition to liquor license for Chicagoland Supermall food court at 1337 Douglas

Montgomery — Owners of the Chicagoland Supermall at 1337 Douglas sought village feedback on a request for a Class A on‑premises liquor license to serve customers in a proposed food‑court bar area inside a converted retail building.

Proposal and applicant: David Perez, an owner of the development, told the board the project is a family‑oriented indoor market and food court within the former Ace Hardware building. The applicant explained the plan calls for a single bar vendor inside the food court to serve alcohol to patrons of the food court; food vendors would not hold liquor licenses. The application requests a Class A license (full liquor, on‑premises consumption) because the use is not a restaurant by the applicant’s reading of the license classes.

Trustee response: Multiple trustees expressed consistent opposition to approving a full‑service liquor license on the Douglas Road corridor. Trustees said past votes and current policy steer the board away from stand‑alone bar uses and from allowing gaming in that corridor. Several trustees said they would vote “no” if the application stood as described.

Applicant follow‑up: David Perez said the owner would consider reconfiguring operations (for example, creating a single vendor that qualifies as a restaurant with on‑site food service) if required to meet the village’s licensing expectations. Staff advised the applicant to work with the village’s community development and licensing staff and to provide floor‑plan revisions and health department approvals if the project is to be reconsidered.

Ending: No formal board vote was taken on the license application at the meeting. Trustees asked the petitioner to follow up with staff and indicated they were unlikely to approve a Class A liquor license for the proposed flea‑market/food‑court concept on Douglas Road without substantive changes.