Police move to deny liquor license for another liquor store, this one at 3132 First Ave. NE; but stores stay open anyway as they head to a slow-moving state appeal process

The Cedar Rapids Police Department is recommending that the City Council not renew the liquor license for Discount Liquor, 3132 First Ave. NE.

The  matter is on the council's consent agenda for its Wednesday evening meeting, which typically means the request or recommendation is routine and will be followed or approved by the council.

In recommending a denial, the Police Department says the store failed to provide sufficient information and the information it did provide in seeking a license renewal was not complete or “truthful.”

In a memo to the council, the department's Lt. Tom Jonker identifies the company's owners as Dalbir and Gurlal Singh, who list their addresses as Galesburg, Ill.

Jonker notes that both Singhs have had liquor violations in Galesburg which they did not mention on their liquor renewal application with the city of Cedar Rapids. Dalbir Singh has three violations for selling liquor to a minor -- he told Jonker that two of the three were because he owned the store -- and Gurlal has one such violation, Jonker notes.

The store is incorporated as GSG Food Mart LLC with the Iowa Secretary of State's Office.

The store can appeal the liquor license matter to the Iowa Alcohol Beverages Division. Appeals can take a year to resolve during which time stores can continue to operate.

It took nearly a year for the state agency in August to agree with the City Council's decision not to grant a liquor license to Liquor and Tobacco Point, 1545 First Ave. SE. The store remains open even still for at least 30 days as it seeks a District Court motion to let it remain open as it makes its final appeal there.