DeKalb Liquor hopes to implement delivery service by year's end

DeKALB – DeKalb residents have many stores in town to choose from when it comes to purchasing liquor.

But DeKalb Liquor owners Chirag and Mayur Patel believe their newly opened store at 444 E. Lincoln Highway has the potential to stand out because of a delivery service they hope to implement before the end of the year.

“It’s more convenient for customers if we bring our products to them,” Mayur Patel said. “Especially with the cold months coming up, this will be a perfect service we can provide to customers who don’t want to leave the comfort of their homes.”

To make this delivery service possible, DeKalb Liquor is teaming with StarveBelly, a food delivery service based in DeKalb. Chirag Patel said StarveBelly is similar to GrubHub, a service that allows a customer to order online or on a mobile app, then a delivery driver picks up the order from a restaurant or store and delivers it to the customer.

According to DeKalb City Attorney Dean Frieders, the city has an ordinance in Chapter 38 of the city’s liquor code that prohibits alcohol delivery.

“We always want to support local businesses,” Frieders said. “But there are some things we always have to watch out for.”

Chirag Patel said StarveBelly plans to reach out to city officials in an attempt to obtain a permit that would allow alcohol delivery.

“People who are walking a lot around here, they don’t have transportation,” Mayur Patel said. “We’re right next to the train tracks, so we’ve heard from customers walking across that can be difficult, too. This new delivery service will make everything easy.”

DeKalb Liquor is part of a newly constructed strip mall in the 400 block of East Lincoln Highway that was completed this summer. The Patels acquired rights to the property last November and began moving in after construction wrapped up in August. Mayur Patel said most of the store is shelved, but there are still some drinks that need to be stocked.

“We offer plenty of choices for customers to choose from,” Chirag Patel said.

Mayur Patel’s family has always been involved in business. He previously owned a Subway in Oswego for nearly a decade. Mayur said he and Chirag, his brother-in-law, wanted to explore the liquor-sale business and they thought DeKalb was a perfect city to do so.

“We were looking for something that was at the right time and right place,” Mayur Patel said. “Every time I visit a liquor store, I feel like it’s always busy. I wanted to try something different.”

DeKalb Liquor will host a grand opening celebration Wednesday that will include a ribbon cutting, free tastings and pizza, along with raffle contests. Raffle winners will be announced at 7 p.m.

DeKalb Liquor is open from 10 a.m. to midnight Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday.

Chirag said DeKalb Liquor will feature weekly discounted items and he plans to post sales on the store’s Facebook page.

“I really like DeKalb,” Mayur said. “I wanted to open it here. There are many potential customers we can serve, and hopefully many more when we can start bringing our drinks to them.”