UPDATE: As anticipated, the La Grange village board of trustees Oct. 26 approved a new BYO license for Knead Marketplace.
Knead Marketplace received a recommendation of approval Monday night from the La Grange liquor commission for the village's first-ever "bring your own" license.
A final o.k. from the village board of trustees likely will be granted at its next meeting Oct. 26. Liquor licenses routinely are listed on the board's omnibus agenda, whose items generally are approved without discussion.
Knead's proprietors, Chris Spagnola and Mary Libsch, who opened their downtown bakery/deli/cafe at 13 S La Grange Rd two years ago, said they will begin offering BYO service early next month in conjunction with the introduction of their first dinner menu, which will be available Thursday through Saturday nights.
The BYO option is among several new liquor license categories approved in August by the village board. The new licenses are effective Nov. 1.
"When we first heard about the [BYO license] we thought it would be a perfect thing for us because we only have 20 seats," Spagnola said.
Knead does not have adequate room or staff to operate with a full-service bar like the one the couple had as owners of Emilio's Sunflower Bistro, he said. They closed that restaurant, which also was located downtown, earlier this year to focus their efforts on Knead.
Spagnola said BYO service would offer diners a low-cost alternative in today's tight economy.
He said the couple plans to approach a fine-wine retailer, possibly Trader Joe's, with the idea of doing some cross-market promotions encouraging patrons to pick up a bottle of wine while on their way to Knead for dinner.
Spagnola said they will carry "dram shop" insurance to cover alcohol-related liability, and also will have their employees undergo TIPS training for intervention procedures in handling intoxicated patrons. Both are required by law for full-service license holders, but not for a BYO license.
To help defray those costs, he said BYO patrons will be charged a service fee of "two or three dollars" per bottle.
"We'll see what kind of feedback we get," Spagnola said.
"We'll be curious to see how it goes, what works and what doesn't," Mark Langan, a village trustee who is one of three members of the liquor commission, said. Langan voted to recommend approval of Knead's license, as did Elizabeth Asperger, who also serves as village president.
The liquor commission's third member, Trustee Mark Kuchler, could not attend Monday's meeting. But Asperger said Kuchler asked her to express his support for the application, adding that Kuchler believed Knead's plans "were exactly what our BYO ordinance hoped to attract."
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