The former PJ’s Liquor at 615 W Crawford in Clay Center is under new ownership.
The location was purchased by Jeremy and Jamie Reed and will be rebranded to The Liquor Store.
The Reeds purchased the location after it was put on the market and said the name change won’t come with any changes for the time being.
They are keeping current specials, including cash discounts, to ease the transition for customers, Jamie said. In addition, current employees were all kept on staff.
“We kept everyone that was already there; we didn’t want anyone to have to lose their job,” she said. Which she mentioned has also led to a smoother transition.
In addition to The Liquor Store, she and her husband both work outside of the store. Jeremy is a welder at Northern Natural Gas and Jamie teaches private preschool.
“We are keeping our current jobs but plan to be very present,” she said.
They are also kept busy with their three school-age sons.
Jamie said they decided on the location because, both being from the area and saw it as as a good business opportunity.
“We are both from Clay Center and we have a soft spot for local business,” she said.
“It sounds weird to say I grew up coming here but I remember my parents shopping here,” she said.
In addition, she can remember playing in the back room when the location was owned by a friend’s grandparents.
“We knew both the previous owners and are excited to continue this store,” she said.
Jamie said it has been a long process of first purchasing the business, then switching over licenses and working with vendors, and for the time they are just getting settled.
The Reeds have plans to remodel or add updates to the building, such as painting or adding new flooring and shelves.
For kids or non-alcohol drinkers, she said there is also a soda machine that sits outside of the store.
“It’s only $.75 we keep joking that it’s the cheapest pop in town. You can’t get it anywhere for that – but I don’t know if it will stay that price, but for now it’s still a deal.”
City Council approved the location’s new liquor license, and Reed said that business hours will remain unchanged.
