BURRILLVILLE – Two businesses with a long history in Burrillville changed hands this week, with local entrepreneurs taking over operations from those who ran the establishments for decades.
Champ’s Liquors and Spritzer’s Cafe now have new owners following license transfers approved by the Town Council on Wednesday, Sept. 10.
Town resident Trevin Alpaio has purchased the Pascoag bar from longtime owner James Davidge, with plans to run the establishment with help from business partner Steven Leblanc.
“I’ll have a very similar business model as he has for the past 41/42 years,” said Alpaio of Davidge. “We’re both residents. We’ve been residents all our life. We see an opportunity to keep a business local and we’d like to do so.”
Khushboo Patel of East Greenwich, meanwhile, has purchased Champ’s Liquors from Denis Deschamps. The store at 16 South Main St. was run by the Deschamps family for some 30 years.
“I think we’re all sad to see Mr. Deschamps not be part of that important little red building in Pascoag,” said Councilor Dennis Anderson.
Attorney Joseph Brennan represented the buyer in the transfer, also securing a new license to operate on Sundays.
“I represent these applicants on a lot of liquor stores so, as a family, as a unit, they have a lot of experience in this area,” Brennan said. “This isn’t a newbie coming in that doesn’t know what they’re doing.”
Brennan said the new owner of the Burrillville business has never had to close a store, and that he’s buying the building as part of the transaction.
“They have a really good business model,” Brennan said.
“I know that the current owners have been a mainstay,” he added. “They have no plans to change the name.”
At the meeting last week, no one spoke either for or against the change.
“It’s just unusual,” said Anderson. “We have 70 years of two important businesses on the same night- both related to liquor.”
One neighbor did show up, however, to comment on the transfer of the victualing license, entertainment license and pool table license for the bar at 63 Grove St.
“Living next to this bar – it’s tough,” said Allen Richard. “It really is, and when they have entertainment it gets really bad. I object to them getting an entertainment license because it’s a residential area.”
“I get people urinating in my yard. My TV shakes it gets so loud.”
Councilor Steven Rawson responded that the bar has been there a long time.
“I have to give you credit: having a business like that which a bunch of drunks is not the easiest,” he said of former owner Davidge.
Richard asked if the council could pass some restrictions on entertainment, noting the inclusion of live bands is a more recent development.
“I don’t think we’d be prepared to put any restrictions in place, but we do have the applicants here,” said Town Council President Donald Fox. “I think this is a good opportunity to air your concerns.”
“These mill villages all developed with these types of businesses popping up right in the residential part of the community where the mill housing was,” Fox added.
Richard said he would speak to the owners about his concerns.
I remember (Spritzers) when it first opened, I was a frequent patron. Shooting pool, whooping it up, ya it was rowdy. Not much police presence then, even after 1am.
America is for sale…or free…to the right person. Bye Bye American Pie…