Restaurant applies for a liquor license

Source: The Grand Rapids Press
SPARTA - A public hearing has been set on a restaurant's application for a liquor license. The hearing for Angela's Italian Restaurant will be held 7 p.m. Monday in the Sparta Village meeting room, 160 E. Division St. Harry Sutliffe, a friend and spokesman for owner Angela Candela, said the financially ailing restaurant at 240 E. Division would be helped greatly if it could sell beer and wine. Sutliffe spoke during a meeting of the Downtown Development Authority, which must decide whether to recommend that the Village Council approve the request.

After the Monday meeting, the Village Council is expected to decide whether to recommend Angela's request to the state Liquor Control Commission, which then decides whether to grant a license.

In 1997, the liquor commission authorized 50 low-cost licenses, and that year, the council recommended that two be given to Downtown Trini's and Palermo's Pizza.

Trini's, 148 E. Division, received a license, but Palermo's, 470 E. Division, did not because it did not meet all the requirements, such as minimum seating for 25.

Trini's, which seats 50, is in the process of building an expansion.

Village Manager Thomas J. Dempsey said 13 of the special licenses remain, with 40 open applications, including Palermo's.

The council received a petition with signatures of about 500 of Angela's customers supporting the restaurant's request for a liquor license. Angela's has been in Sparta for almost 20 years.
Source: The Grand Rapids Press