Galloway Resident Suggests Liquor License Minimum Bid Price Was Too High

Only one Galloway businessman came forward to bid on the retail distribution license the township put up for bid in October, and he didn’t come forward until after the bidding process was over.

At the council meeting on Tuesday night, Dec. 11, he also said the minimum bid price the township was asking was too high.

The township put its liquor license out for bid on Oct. 4 of this year. Among the terms and conditions for the sale was the following: That the minimum bid price for the new retail distribution license shall be $350,000.00.

The township also reserved the right to refuse any offer.

“I looked at five or six other towns, and their prices were much lower,” said Alpesh Ray, a Galloway resident of 11 years who owns a liquor store/pharmacy in Glen Ridge. “Most towns have it listed for $200,000, some have it for $300,000 and some for $400,00.”

Ray said he doesn’t believe a new businessman can afford to pay at least $350,000 for a distribution license in Galloway Township, and that he would be willing to pay between $125,000 and $150,000.

Prior to Ray’s comments during the public portion of the meeting, township officials speculated as to the reason they received no bids for the license prior to the official cutoff date of Nov. 8.

“I’m surprised there were no bids,” said Solicitor Michael Fitzgerald, who said that when there are no bids, that usually means the price is too high.

Fitzgerald speculated the township attempted to move too quickly, putting the bid out on Oct. 9 and setting the deadline for bids at one month later.

“If you give it more time, outreach could be repeated and expanded,” Fitzgerald said.

Ray said he didn’t know the license was available until after the bidding process was over.

Mayor Don Purdy suggested the possibility of advertising the license in Philadelphia-area newspapers, but Township Manager Arch Liston said that may cost a lot of money.

“This was prior to the election, and a lot of people were waiting to see (who would win),” Liston said. “We may generate a lot more interest if we go back out to bid.”

“I think a lot of people are waiting to see what happens at the Assumption site and some of the other sites in the area,” Councilman Jim Gorman said, referring to development in the White Horse Pike corridor.

Township Clerk Thalia C. Kay suggested the possibility of having a workshop for business people who don’t understand how to submit a bid.

Liston suggested if the township goes back out to bid, a lower minimum bid price may attract business people. Ray agreed.

“If you put it back out with the same price, no one will bid,” Ray said. “If you lower the price, I would look at it again.”