The Flossmoor Village Board voted to approve a liquor license for R & J Wine and Gaming’s retail liquor store at the Aug. 18 board meeting. This would be the first standalone retail liquor store in the village.

Meijer has a license to sell wine and spirits, but that’s a section of its superstore on Vollmer Road. 

R & J operates Cork Gaming and Wine Bar at 19870 Kedzie Avenue and plans to open a retail liquor store next door with owner Ronakkumar Patel, who also operates liquor stores in Homewood and Richton Park. 

Patel came to speak with the board. His initial idea was to have a door between the liquor store and the gaming business to avoid having to get another license. 

Trustees voiced concerns about customers coming from the liquor store and bringing packaged liquor into the gaming area. 

Village Attorney Joseph Miller advised that according to the village code there would need to be two separate businesses with two separate liquor licenses each operating under different rules. Patel agreed to those stipulations. 

Trustee Gary Daggett made a motion to table the item. He expressed support for the license but said he wanted to see more detailed plans for a separate store before voting on it. His motion to table died for lack of second.

The trustees voted 5-1 for the liquor license with Daggett casting the no vote.