Lasick reopens his temporary liquor store in a trailer on the store’s original lot.
Lifelong College Park resident Joe Lasick jokes he hasn’t seen a paycheck in a long time. Thus he said he opened his new liquor store “the same minute” the final county inspection was completed.
Lasick’s College Inn Liquors opened last Thursday, housed in a trailer parked in the same lot as his former restaurant and liquor store before they burned down in a double-arson in December.
Lasick insists the trailer is only temporary, as it is the first step toward rebuilding a larger restaurant and liquor store. Inside, liquor is displayed on tables in the center of the store. There are several bottle-filled shelves on one side, and a beer-filled refrigerator along the other wall. Lasick’s is the only liquor store in College Park with a drive-thru window, a feature consistent with his former store.
Business remains light but is gradually growing, Lasick said. He’s been seeing familiar faces of customers from his former store.
“People are so nice to us,” Lasick said. “They come back and are wishing us well.”
College Park Woods resident Reginald Doby was a first-time customer who came by after hearing about Lasick’s loss last year.
“I feel bad that they had to go through all of this,” Doby said. “I’m a College Park resident, so it’s kind of important that I support some College Park establishments.”
“I thought it was great,” said College Park resident Andy Petska after his first trip to the store. “There was a good selection and nice people.”
Lasick plans to build a bigger and more up-scale restaurant and store, but definite plans have not been established. Lasick is taking extra safety precautions with his new store: In addition to outside cameras, he will hire a police officer to patrol the store and is setting up a digital system that will enable him to watch the store from his home.
Starting June 1, a county law was enacted requiring liquor stores to close two hours earlier at midnight, aiming to reduce crime. Lasick said the law will not lower crime, but will merely relocate it. The law is “absolutely ridiculous,” Lasick said, and “is nothing but a show boat thing. It will do absolutely nothing.”
The property has been in the Lasick family since 1942. The original store cost $100,000 to start, Lasick said, and was paid for entirely out of his father Sonny’s life savings.
The fire set in December demolished Lasick’s store and restaurant and damaged the Best Western College Park Inn. Fire investigators are offering a $1,000 reward for information about suspects involved in the crime.
After the fire, Lasick worked for a friend for income. He will continue in his second job, “until we get built again or until someone lays a couple million [dollars] on us,” he said.
