Susanne's Bakery Applies for Wine and Beer License

Diners at may soon be able to order a glass of wine or beer with their meal. According to the sign on the restaurant window, the owners, Mike Tunney and his wife, Susanne, applied for a beer and wine license with the State Liquor Control Board on Oct. 14.

While Tunney said he's not sure how they will incorporate alcohol into the menu, he said the waterfront deli will continue to embrace its family-friendly atmosphere in the Millville District.

"It's an expansion we never thought we'd see," said Tunney, who has been serving the community for the past 14 years.

This summer, the

Emily Lovik, an employee at , said adding alcohol to its menu and staying open later contributed to a huge boost for the restaurant, which currently serves dinner four nights a week.

"It was great," she said. "Seventy-five percent of the tables ordered drinks with their meals during the summer."

Although traffic has slowed down in the fall, Lovik said local residents are "thrilled" with the wine and beer option.

Immediately after the council's approval, Tunney said he was on the fence about adding beer and wine at Susanne's.

"Part of the reason is because we can," said Tunney, who has a background in fine dining. "It was a business decision we needed to make."

He said he wanted to attract boaters and tourists in the summer without alienating his local clientele, who trickle in for breakfast and lunch.

He said the majority of his customers have welcomed the idea of having wine and beer on the menu. While the deli will still operate during the same hours, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., he doesn't expect alcohol sales to significantly impact his business.

"We're just going to have to see," he said. "We're not reinventing the wheel in any way, but you never know."