Thirsty Liquors owner Nick Tsiftilis said he plans to have a drive-through window at the store’s new location, 1039 W. Hillcrest Drive, but some liquor commission members oppose it.

The former Around the Clock Diner has a drive-through and three driveways. Two driveways access Hillcrest Drive and a third accesses Annie Glidden Road, Tsiftilis said.

A Hardee’s restaurant was once on the corner, Tsiftilis said. The building and lot were designed to accommodate a drive-through business, he said.

Tsiftilis owns Starbuster’s Bar & Grill and Thirsty Liquors, 930 Pappas Drive. He said a drive-through is just another way to stay competitive. Tsiftilis announced his plans at Tuesday night’s liquor commission meeting.

Class A license-holders such as Thirsty Liquors are not prohibited from selling liquor curbside or at a drive-through.

The commission voted 2-2 with one member abstaining on whether to recommend that the city council prohibit curbside and drive-through service for all liquor license classes.

DeKalb Police Chief Bill Feithen said he worries about the lack of face-to-face contact in a drive-through situation.

“Their [seller’s] view and their evaluation of the person [driver] is not going to be as good as if they were standing in front of the cash register,” Feithen said.

A cashier will not be able to see or smell if a person is intoxicated or determine if he or she is underage, Feithen said. Also, minors might be in the car, he said.

Depot Liquors co-owner Rita Miller said she has a drive-through at her store, 524 N. Main St. in Sycamore.

“We have never had anyone at the window who was intoxicated,” she said.

Tsiftilis said the store would install extra lighting at the drive-through to improve the cashier’s visibility.

As for minors being in the car, a buyer could just as easily pay for liquor inside the store and take it back to a car with minors in it, Tsiftilis said.

Liquor commission member Jesse Perez said he understood Tsiftilis’ need to stay competitive.

Perez said he voted against recommending the prohibition on curbside and drive-through sales because opposition did not convince him why it would be dangerous.

“Once you get to the core of the idea, it’s really no different than people going into the establishment to buy liquor,” Perez said.

Kris Povlsen, 2nd ward alderman, voted against drive-though sales.

“When it comes to drive-through package liquor, it flies in the face of common sense,” Povlsen said.

At least two DeKalb liquor stores have had drive-throughs in the past.

Liquor commission member Kevin Braden said he thought that fact was significant and set precedent for the city to follow.