Belleville OKs liquor sales at store after aldermen question owner’s past case
Belleville City Council held an extended discussion Monday night before voting 12-2 to allow a new convenience store to sell liquor.
Several aldermen asked about the legal problems of Gerriel Greenwood, owner of Bee Hive Convenience Store, who also operates a body waxing salon called WaxthatG. Both are in The Arcades shopping center.
In February 2025, Greenwood was cited for operating a business without a license and charged with misdemeanor unlawful possession of a weapon during a police raid on a smoke shop, which was connected to the salon and where she worked at times.
Greenwood’s legal problems “have been resolved,” Mayor Jenny Gain Meyer told aldermen at the meeting.
St. Clair County Circuit Court records show that Associate Judge Dominic Kujawa dismissed the misdemeanor charge against Greenwood in August, four months before she opened Bee Hive.
Tiyon Moore, who owned Twinzo Smoke Shop, is still facing three felony charges, including unlawful possession with the intent to deliver cannabis, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and unlawful possession of firearm ammunition by a felon.
Ward 4 Alderman Raffi Ovian noted that Greenwood planned to sell small bottles of hard liquor, not beer or wine.
“This is just going to bring a different element (to The Arcades),” he said, warning that “panhandlers” who buy the small bottles due to lack of money could become a nuisance.
Ward 2 Alderwoman Gigi Dowling Urban and Ward 4 Alderman Johnnie Anthony spoke in favor of allowing Bee Hive to sell liquor, noting that other convenience stores do it.
It’s good to see The Arcades tenant spaces occupied, Anthony said. “Small businesses are the backbone of this country.”
Ward 8 Alderwoman Kara Osthoff said she didn’t think The Arcades was a good place for the convenience store, but since the City Council already had allowed it to open, denying Greenwood’s request to sell liquor without good reason would be a “slippery slope.”
Ward 7 Alderman Dennis Weygandt joined Ovian in voting “no.”
“We don’t need any more liquor stores in Belleville,” he said after the meeting. “We have enough. You don’t want one on every corner.”
Greenwood declined to comment after the meeting.
However, Bee Hive tagged the BND in a social-media post later that evening with a pledge to “doing things the RIGHT way” and to donating “a percentage of its profits to local charities and community efforts.”
“We want to sincerely thank the City of Belleville, Mayor, and all board members for giving Bee Hive Convenience Store this opportunity to equip a liquor license,” the post stated. “This is bigger than just business for us — we are here to be a positive part of the community.”
St. Clair County Drug Tactical Unit and Belleville police raided Twinzo and Moore’s Swansea home on Feb. 7, 2025. They reported seizing 21 pounds of marijuana, three firearms, including one stolen; 100 rounds of ammunition, cash and other items.
Associate Judge Sara Rice granted Moore’s request to be released from jail to await trial, pointing to his “lack of any violent history.” She required him to wear an electronic-monitoring device.
In June 2025, Greenwood requested a special-use permit to open Bee Hive at 6500 W. Main St., Suite 216. Attorney Ken Leeds spoke on her behalf at a Zoning Board of Appeals hearing.
Leeds said the convenience store would sell a variety of food and other items, “minimal” tobacco products and no alcohol or lottery tickets.
Belleville Sgt. Sam Parsons told board members that Greenwood was working in Twinzo at the time of the raid and, when asked if she had any firearms, she handed over her purse, which contained a pistol for which she didn’t have a carry permit.
Assistant City Attorney Lloyd Cueto said Belleville police and other city officials had “very real concerns” about Greenwood, who had a personal relationship with Moore, opening another business.
Leeds withdrew Greenwood’s permit application at the hearing.
“Based upon the comments of (Parsons and Cueto), we’re gonna go ahead and withdraw the application in order that we have time to go ahead and address some of these concerns,” he said. “Then we’ll revisit this perhaps at some future time.”
Greenwood resubmitted her request in October. The Zoning Board voted 5-0 (with three members absent) to recommend that the City Council grant the permit, which aldermen did in November.
Court records show Moore previously was convicted of two felonies in St. Clair County, including aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude police and unlawful possession of cannabis.
BND reporters Mike Koziatek and Jennifer Green contributed to this story.
This story was originally published April 7, 2026 at 9:00 AM.
