No more liquor sales at the Shop Rite
I know one of two nearby residents who will be happy to hear this:
At-large City Councilman Eric Turner said Shop Rite Supermarket, 1823 W. Lincoln Ave., had its package liquor license revoked on Wednesday. The store officially has until Tuesday to cease all liquor sales, he added.
“There had been complaints about them selling it,” Turner said. “(The police) got a search warrant and found the pills in there.”
Shop Rite’s owner, Vasant K. Patel, 39, 2909 W. Quartz St., was arrested during the Nov. 5 search after police found loose Viagra pills inside plastic baggies stuffed inside boxes, police spokesman Doug Burgess said. He was booked into the Peoria County Jail and was released Nov. 9 on $10,000 bond.
Shop Rite is, essentially, a liquor store. Very few people use it as a grocery store. It’s parking lot is like a magnet for all sorts of criminal knucklehead behavior.
The downside is that it’s very unlikely that the people who run it will start running it in a way that benefits the community.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
A lot of people do use it as a grocery store but as you pointed out, there is an element that hangs out there. The revoked liquor license will hurt the owner for sure but there is a full service liquor store right across the street.
Losing a liquor license is the least of the owner’s problems at this point. He’s facing 5 years for Viagra.
A lot of guys in Peoria are probably hoping he doesn’t rat them out. Any politicians stop in to get a Viiiiagra fix? You know, according to law, those guys buying Viiiiiiagra illegally are just as bad as a meth buyer.
Why is there a black market for Viiiiiiagra? And is it really profitable enough to risk 5 years? This doesn’t make a whole lot of sense from any view. Locking people up for Viiiiiiagra and a black market for Viiiiiiiiagra are both stupid.
Maybe some of those guys buying it really do have health problems that Viiiiiiagra fixes and they just can’t afford the health care costs to get it, so its actually cheaper on the black market? This whole situation is just weird that we have a black market for Viiiiiiiiagra being run out of a liquor store.
iiiiiii to avoid spam filter
My understanding is that the little blue pill costs $50 each if you get a doctor’s prescription. So if true, that alone will create a black market on the pill.
Quartz St is in the very upscale Stonegate sub off Allen Rd.
Selling pills and liquor on the South Side pays off, apparently.
So, do you think this guy will do (ahem) hard time?