On Fountain Boulevard, just east of the intersection of South Chelton Road, is Fountain Square. It’s a modest little strip center with a Korean restaurant, a Black Beauty Supply store and Frontier Liquors on the far end.
It is visible below in a photo from Google Maps. It backs up to a 7-Eleven convenience store, visible in the photo. And behind the 7-Eleven is Kwik Stop Family Market.
Frontier Liquors has been fighting to keep a new liquor store from opening about 20 feet behind it on Chelton.
The owner, Bong Chung, rallied his customer and neighbors in 2006 to defeat the proposed store. He got hundreds of signatures on petitions opposing the second liquor store, which would have been owned by You Lee and located next to the Kwik Stop, which is owned by his family.
Neighbors also came to the Colorado Springs Liquor and Beer Licensing Board to testify against the new store.
Here’s a look at the Kwik Stop, again from Google Maps. The car wash in the photo is now gone, replaced by a new building where Lee’s mother, Sun Lee, now wants to locate a liquor store called “Your Liquor.”
The neighborhood is southeast of downtown Colorado Springs, visible below in a map from FlashEarth.
Sun Lee went before the Liquor and Beer Licensing Board on Oct. 16 seeking a license for her store. She said she had invested $100,000 in the business. She also introduced petitions signed by about 860 neighbors who said they wanted and needed another liquor store in the neighborhood. About 130 neighbors opposed her store.
Chung produced petitions with signatures of 75 neighbors opposed to Your Liquor and about 50 who favored it. Frontier Liquors also was supported at the hearing by several neighbors who testified against Lee.
In the end, the seven member board voted and ended up in a 3-3 tie. As a result, the board ruled that Lee’s application failed. You can read the minutes of the Liquor and Beer Licensing Board at this link.
Lee is appealing the ruling, saying that the board must rule by majority vote. She wants the board to be ordered to grant her application or the case resumed until the board reaches a majority vote.
Fourth Judicial District Judge Theresa Cisneros will decide the case.
You can read my previous Side Streets column on the Valley Hi liquor store feud.
==============================================