Corner store shut down | Business | Summerville Journal Scene

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Corner store shut down

Published Tuesday, October 18, 2011 2:38 PM

By Leslie Cantu
Summerville Journal Scene ®

Leslie Cantu/Journal Scene

Summerville Town Council sided with the police department in determining that L & M Convenience Store and Game Room was a public nuisance and shouldn’t have its business license renewed.

Summerville shut down a business catty-corner to Alston Middle School last week amid police allegations it constituted a public nuisance.

Business owner Melanie Nolan and Town Prosecutor Ben LaFond appeared before Town Council during a special meeting to hear Nolan’s appeal of the staff denial of her business license renewal.

Council voted 6-1, with Councilman Aaron Brown dissenting, to uphold the staff decision.

Nolan has applied for a new license to run a beauty supply store, according to town staff.

Nolan argued to council that the police department targeted her business, L & M Convenience Store and Game Room.

She said the incidents cited in 32 police reports occurred at neighboring locations, not at her store at 719 West 5th North St.

The police would park at the school and watch and photograph her business, she said.

She said she ran a clean, decent business and that her husband is in law enforcement in Berkeley County so she wouldn’t do anything illegal.

LaFond, however, said Nolan misrepresented the type of business she intended to run in order to get the original business license and a license for alcohol sales for off-premises consumption.

“The business they’re trying to run can’t be run in that location. … It’s a little pool hall,” he said.

This convenience store wasn’t particularly convenient as it operated at odd hours and had little for sale in the way of snacks and drinks, LaFond said.

The police also have pictures of the business selling prepared food, for which it isn’t licensed, he said.

Nolan said the store never sold prepared food. She closed the building to outsiders to hold a “welcome home” party for her brother, she said.

The store is a place for local kids to go, she said. A supporter got up and said the store has done good things for the neighborhood and allowed her nephew to earn pocket money by cleaning up.

Council voted without comment.

Nolan couldn’t be reached Monday to discuss her plans.

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