hi cgonsi,
Mike is right on question number 1: which is what kind of concept and market are you thinking of selling this to.
Wine and beer can certainly enhance the dining experience and your bottom line, but it must be offered under the right conditions. First of all, we are talking about a casual sit down type of store at the very least. Maybe featuring pizza, salads and antipasto–or pasta and other entrees. I say sit down because the type of liquor license you get–or can get, will be very specific about selling beer and wine on site, versus off site (take out).
Offering alcoholic beverages means the diner will spend more time at the table, which might be a factor in a fast food type operation. It also means that the check average will be higher.
I advise a small well selected list of both wines and beers to start. Price the wines reasonably. Think double the price of your entrees for the most exepensive bottle, but make most of the list more accessible be sure to keep the bulk of the wine list at the average cost of your entrees plus 50-60 percent. If your entree average is 15.00, than most of your wines should be within the 22.00 to 25.00 dollar range–and more, if you have the market for it.
You will have to apply for a liquor license ie: beer and wine (in some states they are separate licenses), a full liquor license is hard liquor, beer and wine. Look into the local policies and regulations.
You will have to get a variance from the locality which will grant you the terms and conditions of your liquor license and it will have to go up before the local planning officials before it can be granted. In some cases, it can be really hard to get one. If you are located in a commercial zone, it should be less hard than in a residential area.
