Tiger Mat is no more.  The laundromat, which has shared a wall with 8th Street Liquor for 10 years, is being transformed into a place that will compliment the liquor store.  Chandler Schumacher, who owns the building that houses both locations, said the laundromat was becoming difficult to maintain.  He doesn’t believe people will be upset though, because there’s another laundromat down the street with “nicer, newer machines.”

Schumacher is planning on turning Tiger Mat into The Mix Shop.

He intends to sell only those items that his current customers would already be planning on buying that he isn’t currently able to sell at 8th Street Liquor, such as beer koozies, corkscrews, non-alcoholic drink mixes, etc.  Schumacher says “it’s a mix shop for current liquor store customers.  It’s not going to be a full-blown convenience store.”

Schumacher added that under current Kansas law, liquor stores aren’t able to sell anything other than alcohol.  “If I had t-shirts, I’d have to give them out, I couldn’t sell them.  I’d like to have a place so people don’t have to drive all over town to buy a corkscrew.” With this addition, he hopes that he’s better able to serve his current customers.

He also said that the number one reason for this change is the possibility of state laws being amended to no longer make liquor stores the exclusive shopping location for hard liquor drinks.

It’s “mainly to have the space available to expand if the liquor law ever changes.”

Last spring the Kansas Legislature tabled HB 2006, which would have expanded the locations legally able to sell beverages with a higher alcoholic content.  Similar bills have been considered in the past and have also been unsuccessful, but support for these efforts continues, as is evident with groups such as Uncork Kansas.

“It keeps getting closer every year.  It’s something I worry about from January to May for the last 8 years” said Schumacher.

He hopes to have The Mix Shop completed and fully operational by mid September at the latest.