Cost Savers’ liquor store license being transferred to new owners, the Native Village of Afognak

The Native Village of Afognak is one step closer to full ownership of the liquor store in Cost Savers, after purchasing the bulk grocery retailer last year.

The package store license for the Liquor Cabinet, which is the liquor store owned by Cost Savers in Kodiak, will be transferred to the Native Village of Afognak under Back Bay LLC. The license allows the store to sell alcohol.

The Native Village is already the majority owner of Cost Savers and will soon be the official owner of the liquor store license within the Cost Savers building on Mill Bay Road.

The Native Village of Afognak, in partnership with the Sun’aq Tribe, bought the Cost Savers store back in the fall of 2023. The new owners hope to eventually sell more local seafood and locally grown produce in an effort to increase food security in Kodiak Island communities.

James Dunham and Darryl Thompson, an attorney for the Thompson Law Group, are the listed agents for Back Bay LLC that was formed last year, according to a report filed with the State of Alaska Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing under Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development.

Liquor Cabinet, Inc. is currently owned by and listed to Alan Large of Kodiak. According to state records, he established the Liquor Cabinet in 1998.
Large was also the original owner of Kodiak’s Cost Savers for over 20 years prior to selling the store last year.

During last week’s Kodiak Island Borough Assembly meeting, Borough Clerk Nova Javier said their office did not receive any objections to the liquor license transfer.

“We have followed the procedures stated in code which includes checking with the department directors, checking on taxes and also sending out public hearing notices to 120 land owners [within a 1500-foot radius of the location],” Javier stated.

In step with the City of Kodiak’s decision from Jan. 11 during their regular meeting, the borough assembly decided not to protest the Liquor Cabinet license transfer. The license transfer now goes to the state Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office, which is expected to approve the request during its next Alcoholic Beverage Control Board meeting later this spring.