Evening star., 1934-03-04
RETURN OF LIQUOR
HERE GIVES WORK
TO 1000 PERSONS
Real Estate Men Report In
crease in Demand for
Stores.
STIMULUS TEMPORARY
ONE DEALER STATES
Maydower Hotel Employs 50 and
Leads City in Repeal
Figures.

At least 1000 persons have been
put to work and there has been de-
cided increase in the demand for
stores and similar business places, as
result of the return of legal liquor
to the District, a survey indicated
yesterday.
A canvass of the larger hotels and
restaurants revealed that virtually all
have taken on additional employees
since midnight last Wednesday, when
sirens on police automobiles heralded
the coming Of repeal as the first 200
or so liquor licenses were handed out.
Real estate dealers agreed that
official ending Of the drought begun
by the Sheppard ''bone-dry" law, back
in October, 1917. has had a stimulat-
ing effect on the demand for stores
and other places suitable for the sale
Of alcoholic beverages. Estimates of
the number Of heretofore unoccupied
business places that have been leased
as a result of repeal ranged all the
way from AZ to 81.
Believed Temporary.
One realtor declared, however, that
he considers the stimulus "only tenn
porary." adding it is his opinion that
only a few of the firms and individ-
uals that have ventured into the
liquor business will be able to survive.
So far as employment is concerned,
the Mayflower Hotel is far ahead of
the rest of its field, the survey indi-
| Gated. More than so persons have
! been given jobs at the hostelry as a
result of repeal, according to r. L.
Polio, manager. The new employees,
he said, include bartenders. walters
and assistants to the steward.
The Shoreham Hotel reported %
additions to its pay roll, with more
to follow If business justifes it; the
Willard Hotel reported IA, the Wash
ington and Raleigh Hotels, 10 each;
the Ambassador Hotel, 9, and the
Wardman Park, several"
Similar reports were made by res
taurants, night clubs and like es-
tabliShments; and, of course, virtually
all the retail off-sale establishments,
aside from stores specializing in the
sale of drugs, groceries and the like,
and handling alcoholic beverages only
as a side line. reported pay roll ex-
pansions.
Other Employers.
Among the places reporting employ
ment of new help were the Height
Club. with an even dozen; the Club
Michel, 7; O'Donnell's Sea Food Grill,
6: Harvcy's Restaurant, S. and the
Garden T Shoppes, several" Nu-
merous other establishments reported
they awaited only the granting Of
their licenses before hiring new work.
| ers.
officials of the real estate firm Of
Shannon &, Luchs reported the rental
, of stores and similar places has been
very active" as a result of repeal For
several months preceding legalization
of liquor here, it was said, there was
marked demand for options on such
places, the usual proviso being that
the deal would be of If the District
| should adopt the dispensary system.
The Office of Carl G.. Rosinski, an
other realtor, also reported a heavy
demand for places suitable for use as
wholesale and retail liquor estab-
lishments.
A different viewpoint was taken,
however. by H. Clifford Bangs, special
ist IN the sale and rental of busi-
ness properties and q former presi-
dent of the Real Estate Board.
II have made no attempt to push
rentals in connection with the re-
turn of legal liquor" he said. LAS
a matter of fact, I have made only
two such leases, and both were to
persons whom I know to be thor
oughly solvent.
THE liquor business is good now,
but I expect it to fall off consider
ably after the novelty wears of. I
doubt very seriously that many of the
concerns and individuals now en-
gagged In the business will be able to
survive the price war that Is bound
to come within the next few months"