Walnutport convenience store looks to sell wine, beer

Fast Fill Exxon on Best Avenue in Walnutport will expand its building and inventory to sell beer and wine by the end of the year.

During the monthly borough council meeting, Michael Fegley, owner of the fast fill since 2006, asked the board to transfer a liquor license into Walnutport for the convenient store.

Under new state laws, according to Fegley’s representative Ted Zeller, convenience stores can use restaurant liquor licenses.

“In Walnutport there is not an active liquor license. There is only one club license,” Zeller said. “This facility will not sell spirits,” he said.

“Nothing is changing food servicewise. Mike will add an addition on the left side of the building, creating room for beer, wine and the seating required for the license. It’s just adding another category to the store,” he said.

Under the new law, a 30-seat, 25-foot extension is required for the license.

“There will not be a bar, television or entertainment. The draw to hang out will be more in the morning for doughnuts,” Zeller said.

The Fast Fill station houses a Dunkin’ Donuts in its building with hours from 4:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The store will abide by LCB laws, selling beer and wine only during appropriate hours.

Fegley said the plan is still in the early stages and “will probably happen at the end of the year.”

Other business

Kristie D. Wilk, executive director of Northern Valley EMS, updated the board. The nonprofit volunteer and career ambulance service provides emergency medical services 24 hours a day to several area municipalities.

“NOVA handled 3,667 calls in 2017; 290 were in Walnutport. We responded to 95 percent of the dispatched calls in Washington Township while mutual aid responded to the other 5 percent,” she said.

“We have a new assistant chief, David Tretter, and an additional medical director, Dr. Jonathan Trager. He and Dr. Ratner volunteer as co-directors and are ER physicians for St. Luke’s,” she said.

Wilk said both doctors will be present on two of the three new ambulance trucks.

EMS will host a comedy night fundraiser on Feb. 24 at the NOVA headquarters, 2375 Levans Road, Coplay. For tickets, call the office at 610 262-1075.