City OKs days of wine and proses

Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, December 24, 2003

EVERETT — If you’re looking for a refined place to hold a party or reception, the Everett Public Library has the perfect venue: its new cafe.

The library will soon begin renting its coffee shop for fund-raising events, retirement parties, holiday parties and other events. The City Council on Wednesday gave the library permission to allow wine to be served at events closed to the general public. The cafe will not serve wine during regular business hours.

The cafe is tentatively scheduled to open Jan. 26, and the first event with wine will likely be a fund-raiser for the library that is being planned for the 1,400-square-foot cafe in February.

Nesse said wine is commonly served at the types of events that might take place in the cafe.

"Most of these occasions are celebrations, either of a wedding or anniversary or birthday," Nesse said. "A glass of wine to toast an occasion is appropriate."

The library is proposing only that wine — not beer or hard liquor — be served.

"It’s just a little simpler to manage," Nesse said. "And maybe wine is more fitting and has a better feel in a library setting."

Ron DeMiglio, whose company Espresso Americano will run the cafe, said he’d be "selective" about which types of events take place in the cafe.

"We don’t want raucous events occurring there," he said.

The state Liquor Control Board must still grant a permit for each event.

Everett Parks and Recreation has long allowed wine, beer and hard liquor in its four halls.

Holiday, birthday and retirement parties are among the most popular events in parks facilities, along with wedding receptions and family reunions.

The 400 events last year yielded $85,000 for the parks department. More than a third of the events included alcohol, said Lori Cummings, assistant director for the parks department.

"To be able to have a glass of wine or alcohol is a choice our customers should be able to have," she said.

The City Council vote allowing wine in the cafe was 6-1. Councilman Ron Gipson voted against the resolution, not because it permits the serving of wine, but because the City Council would not be able to set individual rates for special events in the cafe.

Construction of the library cafe is still not complete.

The cafe will be open 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday to Friday. DeMiglio said he hasn’t decided which hours to open the cafe on weekends.

Under the agreement with DeMiglio, the library receives 9 percent of the gross revenue from the cafe — including special events — and $800 a month in rent.

Reporter David Olson: 425-339-3452 or dolson@heraldnet.com.