GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — One Gwinnett County city still bans liquor stores from opening but it is one step closer to changing that.

Channel 2 Action News reporter Matt Johnson was on Loganville Highway at Beverage Super Store in Grayson, a popular place just outside of Snellville city limits. You’d never be able to find one of these stores in Snellville but voters have a chance to change that for the first time.

Regina Korenteng owns a popular wine shop in Snellville but what she has isn’t always enough for customers.

“A lot of people come to the store looking for liquor more than they come looking for wine,” said Korenteng.

But some of the wine bottles at Niko’s Wine Corner can’t be replaced with liquor bottles until the city lifts its ban on package stores within the city limits.

The Snellville mayor and city council have now voted to call a special election in November to let voters decide to allow liquor stores in the city for the first time ever.

City manager Butch Sanders told Channel 2 that the crime concerns that many had for years are less of an issue.

“It’s already surrounding us and we don’t feel like if we added to that number we would be creating any more problems that are out there,” said Sanders.

Some people in Snellville had concerns about underage drinking becoming more of an issue.

Korenteng said she’s looking forward to the day she can stop turning away business.

“This is going to be a lot of tax money for the city that’s going somewhere else,” said Korenteng.

The city manager said it’s too early to know how much money in taxes the city could generate.

The city is already working on an ordinance that would require any liquor stores to hold themselves to a high standard.

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