Oak Park Convenience Store Where Manager Allegedly Sold Heroin At Work Might Reopen

OAK PARK, IL — A month after Austin Pantry was shuttered for a store manager allegedly selling drugs at work, the business owner is making an appeal to have his license reinstated. The Oak Park Village Board unanimously approved a motion Monday to create a special board to hear the owner's appeal to reopen in the same location at 1 Chicago Avenue.

Trustees Deno Andrews, James Taglia and Dan Moroney volunteered to sit on the three-person board, which will hold the meeting October 26 at 3 p.m. During Monday's meeting to approve the motion, Oak Park Village Manager Cara Pavlicek said the decision whether or not to reinstate the business license for Austin Pantry would be made t the Oct. 26 meeting. Andrews, Taglia, and Moroney will then present their findings and final decision at the Monday, Oct. 30 village board meeting.

Austin Pantry's business license was revoked by the village board Sept. 18 after police arrested a supervisor at the convenience store for allegedly selling heroin while on the job. Edgar Lucas, 55, of the 300 block of LaTrobe Ave. in Chicago, was charged with 17 felony counts, including unlawful delivery of a controlled substance within 1000 ft. of a school. Austin Pantry is less than a five minute walk from Kiddie Korral Academy.

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