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Church Frustrated By Beer Board's Decision

Rachel Withers
Eyewitness News Reporter

Chattanooga, TN (WRCB) -- Members of a Chattanooga church say they're being treated unfairly, after the Chattanooga Beer Board rules the convenience store next door can sell beer.

This situation has a lot of people in the Orchard Knob community fired up, but some say a bigger concern is the precedent the beer board's decision sets.

Inside a cooler sits one of the hottest controversies in the Orchard Knob community.

"We're not trying to rip anybody off," explained Tammy Allizam, owner of Z and J Grocery.  "We're just trying to be a decent neighborhood grocery store and help out people."

But Allizam's decision to open a beer-selling convenience store has members of the church next door furious.  They say she's breaking the law, with the help of Chattanooga's Beer Board.

"It's like 184 feet from our church," said Rev. Evan Settles, pastor of Pentecostal Church of God.  "We're just can't have beer going on in our community."

Chattanooga city code says beer can't be sold within 200 feet of a church.  These pictures were taken when Allizam applied for her beer-license in June.  At the time, members of the beer board believed it was vacant.

"We've not seen anybody until two weeks ago at this supposed to church," said Allizam.

Chattanooga police back those claims up.  Officers say the church failed to pay its power bill numerous times, and has no known phone number.  Eyewitness News asked Rev. Settles to explain.

"You can get anybody to tell lies, it all depends on what you give em," said Settles.  "And that's what happened.  They lied."

Thursday, the Beer Board upheld its original ruling, saying Allizam can continue to sell beer.  It's a decision the store owner says they won't regret.

"We strictly enforce our rules," explained Allizam.  "They know.  You come in buy what you want and leave.  You do not hang around.  We don't stand for that."

At the end of the meeting,  Councilman Jack Benson came in and voiced his concern about the separation of church and state.  He says city government should never have to define what is or is not a church. 

Reverend Settles says he'll appeal the beer board's decision.