Dry Creek General Store wins approval from county planning officials to sell beer and wine again

The famed Dry Creek General Store secured Sonoma County planning commissioners’ blessing Thursday to resume beer and wine sales, more than a year and a half after the nearly 140-year-old establishment northwest of Healdsburg lost its ability to serve alcohol.

A majority of commissioners, acting as members of the Board of Zoning Adjustments, agreed to let the business sell beer and wine again. They signed off on a use permit that also allows for a range of parking-related upgrades and other requirements intended to address concerns from neighbors and other critics.

The use permit requirement was triggered after the popular Dry Creek Valley business had its alcohol license briefly suspended in January 2017 by the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which observed two violations. One involved patrons leaving designated drinking areas with open containers, and another involved the bar staying up and running after food service stopped.

The suspension lasted 47 days, said attorney William Adams, who represents the Dry Creek General Store. County code requirements mandate a use permit if an alcohol sales suspension lasts longer than ?45 days.

Owner Gina Gallo told commissioners she takes responsibility for her business’ current situation.

“Not being able to sell beer and wine for more than a year has caused severe financial hardship, putting the store’s future in jeopardy while causing a great disruption for its customers,” said Gallo, who fought back tears. “We intend on being a shining example in Sonoma County in how to best serve the needs of our customers while being the best neighbor possible.”

Before selling alcohol again, the store will need to implement some improvements required by commissioners, including having a trained parking monitor during the peak season and relocating a trash enclosure that’s disturbing a neighboring home. If Thursday’s decision isn’t appealed within 10 days, the establishment could be serving beer and wine in about one or two months, Williams said.

While county planning staff admitted the alcohol suspension was minor, the use permit process opened the Dry Creek Valley business - which debuted in 1881 and was once a speakeasy - to a range of other issues, with parking perhaps chief among them.

The store’s lot quickly fills up, leading motorists to park on the side of Dry Creek Road or elsewhere. Members of the Phenicie family, who live next door, complained about vehicles blocking their driveway.

“No one wants to shut down the store,” Rose Zoia, a lawyer for the Phenicies, said to commissioners. “My clients, and all of us, agree that is a community treasure, so I hope we can put that issue behind us. What we do wish for is that it be managed and used in a responsible and safe way.”

The store agreed to hire a parking monitor during the busiest hours in the peak season, May through October, and during the store’s weekly barbecues and major off-season events likely to bring heavy traffic through the area.

The store also agreed to make major improvements to the parking area, such as demarcating clear driveways leading to its property and the Phenicies’ home, routing traffic one way through the lot and installing a new retaining wall to make more room for streetside parking. A new bike lane will be designated between the streetside parking spots and the rest of Dry Creek Road.

“In general, it’s been a very casual parking situation, which has led to so many of these problems,” said commissioner Ariel Kelley, who represents the supervisorial district where the store is located. “This is going to be a huge shift. I think it’s a positive shift.”

Commissioner Greg Carr cast the sole dissenting vote, voicing discomfort with the length of the proposed bar hours and the store’s Thursday evening barbecues, which some critics had tried to rein in.

The deli and general store side of the business will close daily at 6 p.m., except during the barbecues. The kitchen will serve food later to customers at the bar, which can stay open until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and ?11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

“I’ve grown up going to the Dry Creek General Store and have amazing memories there,” Geyserville restaurant owner Domenica Catelli said to commissioners. “It is such a unique space for the county and such an important place.”

Planning officials intend to conduct a review one year after the store starts serving alcohol again.