Liquor Store

Karen S. Kim Residents might not have been shopping heavily this year, but they sure have been drinking. Local liquor and wine store owners say sales over this holiday season have been doing well, either matching or topping records of years past. In contrast, economists had reported last week retail sales for 2002's holiday season were expected to post the smallest growth on record. "We were up for Christmas, up from last year, which was our record," said David Dobbs, owner of Red Carpet Wine & Spirits at 400 E. Glenoaks Blvd.

Three hot topics were addressed at Tuesday's ACONA (Altadena Coalition of Neighborhood Associations) meeting at the Altadena Library Tuesday night: filming in Altadena, liquor stores, and coyotes. Filming: how to get them to film at your house ... and how to complain about it Geoffrey Smith  (pictured) , director of community relations for Film LA, which oversees location shoots for the city and county of Los Angeles, and Russ Fega, owner of Home Shoot Home which specializes in promoting locations in Altadena, Pasadena, and South Pasadena, shared their expertise.

GLENDALE ? A store clerk followed two thieves into a nearby neighborhood seconds after they robbed his family liquor store on San Fernando Road at gunpoint Monday evening. Police canvassed the neighborhood shortly after the robbery but found no traces of the thieves after the clerk, 23-year-old Burbank resident Fand Abdouch, lost sight of the two men, who made off with $2,000. Abdouch was working at Esquire Liquor in the 5300 block of San Fernando Road Monday when he saw the two men enter the store about 5 p.m. ?

A dozen workers carted cases of beer, wine and liquor around as managers studied blueprints at a Brand Boulevard storefront recently as they prepared for the opening of a new BevMo. The store, at 200 S. Brand Blvd., is scheduled to open Friday, just in time for holiday celebrations and the busiest time of the year in the adult beverage business. "That was the idea," said Jeff Sealy, BevMo's vice president for real estate and construction. "We did the tenant improvements in a very short period of time.

Gretchen Hoffman GLENDALE -- Glendale Police are looking for a man who snatched a woman's purse and two men who robbed a liquor store. A woman told police a man approached her car and pulled her door open at about 10:40 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of Wilson and Sinclair avenues, according to the police report. He pointed a black handgun at her, demanded money and grabbed her purse, police said. The man jumped into a waiting car and left north on Sinclair Avenue, according to the report.

Two reputed gang members were arrested Sunday on suspicion of assaulting a Glendale resident and later stealing his car, police said. Hector Quintanilla, 19, of Fontana and Jesse Mendoza, 22, of Downey - who allegedly claim ties to a gang based in Burbank - were taken into custody just after 3 a.m. in connection with burglary, vehicle theft, vandalism and committing those crimes to benefit a street gang, according to Glendale police reports....

Liquor-store holdup being investigated MONTROSE -- Glendale Police are searching for a man who allegedly robbed a liquor store in Montrose at gunpoint Tuesday. The suspect walked into the House of Kent Liquor Store, 3500 N. Verdugo Road, at 6:07 p.m. and allegedly pulled out what appeared to be a shotgun and pointed it at the owner, Sgt. Vahak Mardikian said. The suspect reportedly took the cash register and ran from the store and drove away in a tan-colored sport utility vehicle, Mardikian said.

Buck Wargo CITY HALL -- The Glendale zoning administrator will consider requests Wednesday for variances and a permit to sell alcohol at two businesses. Richard and Diane Kim of Glendale want a variance to sell alcohol at a restaurant at 818 N. Pacific Ave.. Miguel Herrera of Glendale wants a permit to allow for the sale of beer and wine at a liquor store at 333 N. Verdugo Road. The hearings are set for 9:30 a.m. in Room 105 of the Municipal Services Building, 613 E. Broadway.

On Aug. 9 about 9:30 p.m., a man walking home from Cordon's Ranch Market at 2931 Honolulu Ave. in Montrose was approached by two men who stole his cell phone. According to Officer John Balian of the Glendale Police Department, the man had just left the grocery store and was talking on his cell phone. "He was walking westbound on the north side of Honolulu Avenue," Balian said. "When he got to Glenwood Avenue a dark green 1990's Jeep Cherokee came to a stop along side of him."

Armed man takes $1,200 from store A unknown man wearing a ski mask reportedly walked into M&M Liquor and Deli on Thursday, shot a handgun round at the floor and fled with $1,200 in cash, police said. No one was injured. The man held up the Glenoaks Boulevard liquor store just after 10 p.m., according to a police report. He pointed his gun at the cashier after firing the gun. The suspect was described as black; about 25; 6-feet tall; with dark eyes; and wearing a dark-blue, hooded sweatshirt; dark-blue denim shorts; and a dark-blue or black ski mask.