With defeat of liquor issue, owners plan to sell the Tavern

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- A failed liquor referendum will mean the sale of one of the borough's most recognizable restaurants.
Jay Behm said he and his wife, Jennifer, plan to actively market The Tavern on the Square restaurant for sale since their efforts to serve alcohol in the restaurant overwhelmingly failed.
Voters defeated the measure 312 to 182 Tuesday.
The Behm's bought the restaurant in 2004 -- after it had been closed by its previous owners -- remodeled and opened. They closed the eatery about a year and a half later.
Earlier in the week he said people's dining habits had changed and the Tavern could not compete with nearby restaurants that served alcohol.
He also claimed that the ability to serve liquor would aid in economic development in the community.
"I had a different vision for New Wilmington. I wanted to have a high-class business in town that would help out other businesses. We would have bought our meat here and employed people," he said.
Voters turned down a similar referendum four years ago. The vote in 2003 was 354 to 87. Liquor referendums can only go on the ballot every four years.