A reader gave us the heads up that the Wine and Spirits Shop at 20th & Fairmount was closed for business today. Looking at the storefront, we saw signs that stated that the store was closed due to an emergency, and an L&I violation sign indicated problems with the rear wall and the roof.

The store

Closer look

So why would the rear wall and the roof of this store be compromised? We can only guess that this is due to the demolition of a long-blighted PHA house right behind the building. We swung around the corner, and noted that yet another property is being demolished on this block by 20th Street Properties LLC, the people who already have demolished two buildings here in the last couple of months.

Partially demolished

Guys up on the roof of the liquor store

It just goes to show you folks, if you’re going to tear down a building, you gotta be really careful. Because if you aren’t, you might just shut down the only liquor store within a radius of over a mile. Hopefully, for the good people of Fairmount, Spring Garden, and Francisville, this store will reopen very soon. Kind of makes you wish we lived in a world with plentiful and privately owned liquor stores, no?