Canned and bottled beer sales are commonplace at many convenience stores, but Jim’s Service Center in Solvang isn’t one of them. In business for nearly 50 years, the local gas station recently asked the Solvang City Council to endorse its application for an off-sale beer and wine license.
In order to move forward, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) needs a letter of public convenience or necessity from Solvang, city Planning Manager Rafael Castillo explained at the City Council’s May 13 meeting.
“The [ABC] considers this area to be oversaturated with a certain amount of licenses,” Castillo said. “It’s tied to the census.”
Located at 2015 Mission Drive, Jim’s Service Center is part of census tract 19.1, which includes a population of 2,719, according to ABC’s website. A tract is allowed one off-sale beer and wine (to be consumed off the premises) license for every 1,033 residents. This grants tract 19.1 a maximum total of two, yet seven active licenses exist in the area.
According to Solvang’s staff report, the ABC is required to deny a license application in any tract with an excess of approved licenses, “unless the local governing body determines that public convenience or necessity would be served by the issuance of a license.”
At its May 13 meeting, the City Council was asked to vote on whether to make that determination for Jim’s Service Center.
During the hearing, city officials were given copies of owner Jim Enderle’s ABC application, which outlined some reasons he’s seeking to sell beer and wine at the gas station, which hasn’t carried either before throughout its 48-year history.
“Two years ago, we made some changes. The most prominent of which was turning our auto shop into a mini mart because our mechanic of 41 years retired,” Enderle wrote in the application, dated April 15, 2024. “Since opening the store, many of our customers have requested that we also sell beer and wine.”
Before motioning to approve Enderle’s request, Councilmember Robert Clarke asked Castillo if Jim’s Service Center is the only convenience store in the Santa Ynez Valley that doesn’t carry sealed beers or wines.
“I don’t have those raw numbers, or data, but typically when I’ve walked in [most convenience stores], I’ve seen coolers,” Castillo said.
“That’s what I’m thinking too, from what I’ve seen,” Clarke said. “From Buellton to Santa Ynez, etc., you can buy this. The only place it’s not being sold is Jim’s Service [Center].”
Councilmember Elizabeth Orona seconded Clarke’s motion, before it passed 5-0.
“I’m worried about [local] businesses perceiving us as being … sort of onerous on our codes, and our ordinances and rules of doing business in the city, but it applies in the inverse too,” Orona said. “We should not be making corner case exceptions either.”
