AMHERST — A convenience store that has been a fixture in downtown Amherst for more than 25 years could be moving to South Amherst in 2021.
The Board of License Commissioners meets via the Zoom video conferencing platform at 5 p.m. Tuesday to consider a request from Shilpa Enterprises Inc., the owners of Cousins Market, 11 East Pleasant St., to transfer all the business assets, including its liquor license, to 460 West St. That space, in a plaza in the Pomeroy village center, was most recently used by Zhang’s Kitchen.
Also as part of the hearing, the owners of The Spoke, at 35 East Pleasant St., which previously expanded into the longtime home of The Sub & Pizza three years ago, are seeking permission for an additional expansion. Under the plans, the bar and restaurant would take over the space formerly occupied by Amherst Copy & Designworks. That business moved to Railroad Street in Hadley in August.
The expansion would double the size of The Spoke from about 2,700 square feet to around 5,500 square feet and add a third outdoor patio.
The move of Cousins comes as the Summerlin Building, where it is located, along with the neighboring Piper Building at 9 East Pleasant and the former The Pub restaurant building at 15 East Pleasant, are all slated for demolition. Property owner Laird Summerlin of Edisto Island, South Carolina, received demolition permits from the town in February. Other businesses in the buildings, such as Eliana’s Barber Shop, have already relocated or closed.