Wilkes-Barre residents oppose transfer of liquor license for proposed Scott Street convenience store

Wilkes-Barre City Council on Aug. 12 heard extended public comment on a request to transfer a restaurant liquor license to 1075 Scott Street, a proposed convenience store and laundromat in the Parsons neighborhood. Attorney John Rogers presented the application on behalf of owners Baljeet Singh and Sujan Mathan, and council did not vote on the transfer; the mayor said the matter will appear on the council's Thursday agenda for formal consideration.

Neighbors said the license would bring problems to a residential area near Parsons Park playground and ballfields, a bus stop and a nonprofit foster-care provider. "I live less than 250 feet and did not get a letter advising any of us," resident Dina Lutinski Nichols said during the public comment period, and she urged council to deny the transfer.

The applicants and their attorney described the planned operation as a convenience store with a restaurant liquor license because Pennsylvania law does not offer a separate license category for convenience-store carryout alcohol. Rogers said the building is zoned C-2, the proposed store will include roughly 30 seats, and the owners will install ID-scanning equipment and cameras; owner Baljeet Singh said the business would operate roughly 6…