New Wine Store Plans to Open at Former Crown City Golf Shop Location

Pasadena Wine Shop LLC has filed an application for a Conditional Use Permit with the City to be able to establish a retail wine store at 1055 E. Green Street in Pasadena with off-site sales and consumption of beer and wine, and with occasional on-site instructional wine tastings.

The spot is the former location of Crown City Golf Shop, which had been in business for 23 years.

As part of the approval process, the City’s Hearing Officer has scheduled a public hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 19, to discuss the application and the conditions that need to be met for the CUP application to be approved.

A CUP is required whenever a business wants to operate a retail store for beer and wine within the CD-5 (Central District Specific Plan, Lake Avenue Subdistrict) zoning district, where the property is located.

The site is on the north side of East Green Street between South Catalina Ave. and South Wilson Ave. It is about 8,579 square feet in size and contains a 4,392 square-foot commercial building constructed in 1964, in addition to a surface parking lot.

For the retail store operation, Pasadena Wine Shop wants to use a 750 square-foot tenant space that was formerly occupied by a retail use and is currently vacant, a report by the Planning and Community Development Department said.

The applicant proposes to operate under a Type 42 ABC License (On-Sale Beer and Wine – Public Premises) for the off-site sale and consumption of limited alcohol (beer and wine). The ancillary instructional wine tastings would be by appointment only, the application showed.

Off-site alcohol sales would primarily be ordered online. In addition to shipping orders to customers, patrons would be able to pick up orders in store and utilize on demand curb-side pickup in the on-site parking lot.

The proposed floor plan shows a 350 square-foot tasting area in the front portion of the tenant space along East Green Street. The remaining 400 square feet in the back of the suite would be dedicated to wine storage and packing.

A tasting room as shown in the plan is intended for customers to sample wines before purchasing, and would be limited to a maximum of six patrons each time. The tastings would include two-ounce tasting portions for up to three wines per customer. Full-sized alcohol portions would not be available for on-site consumption and no food sales are proposed.

According to the applicant, the on-site instructional alcohol tastings would be ancillary to the off-site sale and consumption of limited beer and wine. No bar area is provided even within the tasting room, and no persons under the age of 21 will be allowed inside during tastings.

The operation does not propose any form of live entertainment, the application showed.

Hours of operation, as proposed, would be Tuesday through Friday from 3 to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Alcohol tastings are proposed on Saturday and Sunday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The business would be closed on Mondays.

The Planning Department said it is recommending a condition of approval for on-site instructional tasting to cease one-half hour before closing, or 7:30 p.m., whichever is earlier.

The public hearing will be online and begins at 5:30 p.m. Members of the community can access it through https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89193966874 or by calling (669) 900-6833 and using the webinar ID 891 9396 6874.

Public comments may be sent by email through htam@cityofpasadena.net.