Inboden’s Meats owner Tom Inboden proposed at Tuesday’s liquor commission meeting his store be allowed to sell beer and wine.

The commission asked city attorney Norma Guess to draft a license class specific to Inboden’s to take to the city council. The proposed D-1 license would enable a specialty food store less than 10,000 square feet to sell alcohol.

Currently, Class D licenses for groceries specify the space must be 20,000 to 80,000 square feet. The square footage qualification was designed to exclude convenience stores from applying for liquor licenses.

Inboden’s, located at 1006 N. First Street, has operated for 42 years in DeKalb as a specialty food store, Inboden said. About 10 percent of the store’s 7,500 square feet would be partitioned for beer and wine, Inboden said.

“I don’t want people to perceive us as a beer and wine store. I want it to be an accompaniment,” Inboden said.

Customers have asked for wine to accompany foods such as fish, he said.

Community Development Director Paul Rasmussen likened Inboden’s concept of a specialty food store to that of a Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s is a chain of 200 specialty stores with 12 in the Chicagoland area.

The DeKalb market is too small to support a Trader Joe’s store, Rasmussen said.

“A local store that tried to emulate what Trader Joe’s does would probably be successful,” he said.

Inboden also proposed renovations to the store’s exterior, adding a hot deli and opening on Sundays. Improvements would not be made, however, until after the busy holiday season, he said.

DeKalb Mayor Greg Sparrow said he thought Inboden’s planned to expand their store to the north. Inboden’s owner refused to comment.

The commission also considered recommending the city council prohibit curb service and drive-thrus. A 2 to 2 vote with one member abstaining means the commission makes no formal recommendation to the council.

Nick Tsiftilis, owner of Starbusters Bar & Grill and Thirsty Liquors, discussed his plans to use a drive through at the new store he is developing at the former Around the Clock location.

The building, 1039 W. Hillcrest Drive, was at one time a Hardees and has a drive through, Tsiftilis said.

City council member Kris Povlsen said he felt passionate about not seeing liquor sold at drive throughs and promised to put it on the council’s agenda.

Class A liquor licensees are not currently prohibited from providing curb service or selling liquor at a drive through. Thirsty Liquors holds a Class A license.

“It’s just another facet of my business. I’m not doing anything illegal,” Tsiftilis said.

Sycamore has a liquor store with a drive through. Tsiftilis has studied Depot Liquors, 524 N. Main Street.