L.A. Asked to Halt 3 Stores’ Liquor Sales

A Pacoima neighborhood group has asked a Los Angeles zoning board to consider canceling permits that allow liquor to be sold at three businesses that police say are havens for drunks, drug dealers and gang members.

The request will be heard at a public hearing before a city zoning administrator Feb. 10. It concerns Leon’s Liquor and Junior Market, in the 10900 block of Glenoaks Boulevard; John’s Liquor, in the 13100 block of Van Nuys Boulevard; and Pacoima Food Market, in the 13000 block of Van Nuys Boulevard.

The hearing was prompted by complaints from the Hansen Hills Neighborhood Assn. and police, said Greg Jackson, a spokesman for Los Angeles City Councilman Ernani Bernardi, whose district includes the area.

In a petition sent to Bernardi’s office, the association charged that the stores have sold liquor to minors and that constant loitering and gang and drug activity have occurred near them, Jackson said.

Several Arrests Made

Sgt. Wayne Woolway of the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that several arrests have been made at or near the stores for these and other offenses.

Woolway said the stores’ owners have not worked with police to curtail criminal activity in the area.

Farah Ammari, owner of Pacoima Food Market, said he has tried to discourage such activity outside his store. Ammari said he spent $70,000 to install more lights and to erect a 10-foot wrought-iron fence around his parking lot to keep out drug dealers and gang members.

“What else can I do? I can’t control the streets,” Ammari said. “That is the job of Darryl Gates, not me.”

Ammari admitted that he sold liquor to minors a couple of times in the past. “That is no big deal,” he said. “Every store has done it. It is no reason to destroy a business.”

Ammari, who has operated his store for 15 years, said some customers have offered to speak on his behalf at the hearing.

John Chung, owner of John’s Liquor, said he believes his store has been unfairly singled out. “It’s just the city picking on me because of the pressure” from the association, Chung said.

“It used to be bad around here, but now it is clean,” Chung said, adding that he had installed more lights outside his store to discourage loiterers. “There’s no drug dealing in front of my store. It’s quiet and clean.”