LEXINGTON — Nick Amin can breathe more easily after winning a vote for his spirituous liquor permit and Sunday sales initiatives on the Lex-B ballot.
Amin owns the Lexington Beverage Center at 27 Plymouth Street, which has been open since the 1990s. Amin Spirits LLC bought the business in March 2022 and received a letter in June saying they needed to put liquor sales on the Lex-B ballot this year.
“We want to thank the Lexington community because we were surprised by this and I didn’t know what to do,” Amin said. “But we got the support we needed from the voters and the Division of Liquor Control.”
According to final, unofficial vote totals from the Richland County Board of Elections, the Lexington Beverage Center won both its spirituous liquor initiative and Sunday sales on Tuesday.
87% of voters approved spirituous liquor sales and 80% approved Sunday sales. Those initiatives won 441-61 and 403-96, respectively.
The new owners didn’t realize residents hadn’t had the chance to vote on the spirituous liquor permit 30 years ago until they applied to transfer the license.
Spirituous liquors are defined by the Ohio Division of Liquor Control as intoxicating liquors containing more than 21 percent alcohol by volume.
Ohio liquor consultant Elisabeth Ambrose said the Ohio Division of Liquor Control realized it had mistakenly issued the Lex Beverage Center a permit in a dry precinct in the 1990s.
“The agency told them they can operate until January 2024 with the permits they have and go on the ballot to receive a corrected permit,” Ambrose said in October. “It’s really an unfortunate mistake, but the state and the business still have to follow the law by putting this initiative on the ballot.”
The business already had valid permits for prepackaged beer and wine sales.
The division of liquor control will review certified results from the Richland County Board of Elections to issue a valid spirituous permit.
The state agency has not found any liquor law violations against Lexington Beverage Center. Liquor permits are renewed annually by Feb. 1 in Richland County as long as permit holders complete a renewal application and pay renewal fees.
The Lexington Beverage Center is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
“Business is looking good and we’ve been getting positive feedback since we took over,” Amin said.
In other election results, Ontario precinct 1-A voters passed the Sunday sales initiative for Bell Stores at 1330 N. Lexington-Springmill Road. 61% of voters passed the measure 331 to 208.
Springfield Township precinct B voters approved the Sunday spirituous liquor initiative for Twin Lakes golf course at 2220 Marion Ave. Road. 72% of voters passed the measure 470 to 181.
