Jackson Free Press

Every day Poindexter Elementary students pass by Super Discount Wine and Liquor. This store poses an interesting dilemma for these under-age students because in the back there is a convenience store where many students go to purchase after-school snacks.

At the Dec. 21 City Council meeting, Poindexter principal Evan Caine discussed his concerns about the store. "I don't want my babies being allowed to go into the back of a liquor store for anything," he said.

Caine said he discovered that children from his school are going into the liquor/convenience store a few months ago. "Then I talked to a few parents, and they told me that the owner had opened a liquor store in the back of the convenience store," Caine said.

Super Discount wine and liquor, located at 979 Robinson St., is owned by Amarjit Kaur Arora. Her son, Deepinder Singh Arora, owns the convenience store in back. His store's address is 979-1/2 Robinson St. Arora told the JFP that his business is completely legal. "I have a permit from the city and the state. I don't sell beer in here, and there is a partition to divide my store from the liquor store. There is no going back and forth between both stores," he said.

Caine said that he had not talked to the store owner because he does not feel that it would do any good. "We have not talked to all the parents in one setting because I do not want to bring more attention to negativity in this neighborhood," he said.

At the meeting, Caine was not met with much opposition. The only comment came from Bo Brown who said that Caine could just suggest to his kids that they go to a different convenience store. "There is a store up the block that is owned by a black man. Why not tell the kids to go to that store?" Brown said.

Section 10-4 of the city's alcohol beverage ordinance states that it is illegal to sell or offer for sale any alcoholic beverage within 400 feet of any church, school, kindergarten or funeral home. The only exception is for stores in areas that are zoned commercial or industrial. In zoned areas, stores can be no less than 100 feet away from a school, church, kindergarten, etc.

Arora and his mother's property is zoned in a commercial area. City officials said that they will have to investigate further to be sure the liquor store is not in violation of the distance code. An officer from the Jackson Police Department has to come to the liquor store to measure the distance from the school. Caine said he personally does not see the necessity for the convenience store being there. "There is an existing convenience store so there is really no need," Caine said, adding, "The majority of the parents are against it, and they think it is sending a negative message to the kids. However, they do not know what they can do to make difference."
— Ayana Taylor