* You're invited to Another Infomercial

To review a proposal for a gourmet food and wine shop at 1506 W. Jarvis

Dear Neighbor,

You are invited to attend a meeting to review a proposal for a new gourmet food and wine shop at 1506 W. Jarvis, next door to the new Gruppo diAmici Restaurant. The meeting will take place at my Ward Office, 7356 N. Greenview, Wednesday, January 31st, 7 p.m. The owners of the new store, Eric Aubriot and Jamie Evans of Flangelato, LLC, will present their proposal and respond to your questions.

The property is currently being rezoned from B1-3 to B3-3, as a result of my zoning remap process. The proposed business will be permitted under the new zoning classification. In order to sell wine, however, the business will require a special use permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals and a packaged liquor license from the Mayor's Liquor Control Commissioner. The views of the community and the Alderman on issues such as this are often very persuasive to the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Liquor Control Commissioner, but are not binding.

The area currently falls under the 49th Ward's moratorium on packaged liquor licenses, which in that area extends on Jarvis from Greenview west to Ashland. If the wine shop is to receive its liquor license, the moratorium in that two-block section must be lifted by the Chicago City Council for one year, according to the City of Chicago Department of Law. After one year, the moratorium may be reinstated.

During that one-year period, other individuals and companies in that two-block area would have the right to apply for a packaged liquor license. Such an application would be subject to the zoning laws and the usual city review process, and would not necessarily be granted.

Co-owner Eric Aubriot is a chef, who has twice been nominated for the James Beard Rising Star Award. Aubriot has opened three north side restaurants—Aubriot and Tournesol, and most recently, Fuse. He has been named one of six Hot Chicago Chefs by Chicago Social Magazine and his restaurants have been listed in Esquire Magazine's Best New Restaurants in 1999 and again in 2001.

Aubriot's business partner in the venture, Jamie Evans, is co-owner of the Celtic Knot Public House, a traditional Irish Pub and European restaurant located in Evanston

I look forward to hearing your input and advice on this issue.

Very truly yours,

Joe Moore

Blognotes: Any bets Ginderske try's blocking this liquor deal?