Gourmet Garage proposal draws debate over supermarket bar and full liquor plan

Gourmet Garage’s application for an on‑premises full liquor license at 585 Hudson St. drew prolonged questions from Community Board 2’s Liquor License Committee about how the supermarket would sell and serve alcohol and whether the proposal fits the West Village neighborhood.

The applicant, represented by attorney Max Bookman, said the owner is Village Supermarkets, which operates ShopRite and Gourmet Garage stores in the region and has recently acquired four Fairway locations in New York City. Max Bookman said the proposed store would be a two‑level supermarket with grocery sales primarily on the lower level and an upper‑level “on‑premises” food area with about five tables and roughly 30 seats, plus a 11–13 foot bar counter. “It’s a concept that they have previously done,” Bookman said of Village’s locations outside the city. He called the liquor component a small part of overall sales: Frank, an officer with the applicant, said liquor accounted for “exactly 1/2 of 1%” of the total store sales in a comparable Morristown location.

Why it matters: committee members pressed for operational details they said affect neighborhood impacts — where seating will be…