Uncle, nephew selling liquor in Poland shop after successful ballot struggle

POLAND

After nearly 80 years of a dry village, residents now can pick up their spirits at an ambitious new convenience store.

And it couldn’t have happened without voter support.

Dori Rai and his uncle, Daniel Rai, own and manage Stop N Shop, a small gas station and convenience store at 57 N. Main St. The uncle and nephew moved their business to the states from Canada early last year.

They sought voter approval from village residents for alcoholic beverage sales, and on Election Day, that happened by a vote of 591 to 184 for weekly sales and 542 to 231 for Sunday sales, according to the Mahoning County Board of Elections.

The store received its state liquor license in February and began selling alcoholic beverages Feb. 24. It sells beer, wine and mixed beverages.

When the two first started last year, they wanted to sell the products at their business but couldn’t without the village’s majority vote to approve them to sell it in Precinct 1.

“We didn’t even know that it was a dry town and we were told afterward [by local residents and businesses] that it would’ve been impossible to get it,” he said.

But the two said they were determined to sell the alcoholic beverages for the sake of surviving their first year. For a convenience store, not having a liquor license would have a significant effect on their revenue.

Read more about their journey in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.