6 LI Starbucks coffeehouses granted wine and beer licenses

Starbucks coffeehouses in Long Beach and Miller Place have received licenses to serve wine and beer, and four other locations — in Huntington, East Northport, Nesconset and Hauppauge — have been approved, although their licenses have not been issued yet, a State Liquor Authority spokesman said.

The authority placed limits on the Long Beach coffeehouse’s service of wine and beer, allowing it only from 5:30 to 10 p.m. due to community opposition, the authority spokesman said.

The wine and beer service will be part of the chain’s Evenings menu at certain locations. The new menu is intended to attract more patrons late in the day.

The Long Beach and Miller Place Starbucks will begin selling wine, beer and small-plates dishes this spring, and the company is “in the early stages” of considering them for other locations, a spokeswoman for the chain said in an email. “It’s a long and thoughtful process and the permit filing is just one of many steps we take,” she said.

In Long Beach, the five-member City Council sent a letter to the state authority in October, saying granting the license would be “a serious cause of concern.”

The West Park Avenue coffeehouse is close to the public library, City Hall and Kennedy Plaza, which attract many children and teenagers, the council wrote. In addition, numerous local businesses that hold liquor licenses “adequately serve the area,” the council wrote.

Long Beach bars, eateries and stores hold 87 active liquor licenses, state records show.

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Starbucks’ application also was opposed by the city’s police commissioner and its board of education, among other officials.

The city already has enough places where alcohol can be purchased, said Judi Vining, executive director of Long Beach AWARE, an advocacy group that focuses on substance abuse prevention and mental health. Vining spoke against the application at the Feb. 18 liquor authority meeting in Manhattan where it was approved.

Vining said her group will write to Starbucks, asking it to decline to serve wine and beer in Long Beach despite the approval.

“If you say you want to be a part of the community, listen to what the community is saying,” Vining said. “We love Starbucks as it is. Please keep it as a safe haven for kids.”

By Maura McDermott

maura.mcdermott@newsday.commauramcdermott

Maura McDermott covers health care and other business news on Long Island.