The Walnutport Giant food store can sell liquor once it opens next year.

On a unanimous measure, borough council agreed on Thursday to approve a resolution to permit an intermunicipal transfer of liquor license.

Work is underway at the building located at 300 Best Ave. Giant has its permits, is in the building working, and eventually plans to have gas pumps outside the grocery store.

Council’s decision came following a public hearing in which it heard from Ellen Freeman, an attorney with Flaherty & O’Hara.

Freeman said Giant has 81 liquor licenses throughout the state, and that the closest one opened in Coplay.

She said Giant intends to sell malt and/or brewed beverages for on-premises consumption in the dining area and “to-go.”

Freeman said Giant also plans to sell wine “to go” from this location.

She said the store plans to have seating for up to 30 patrons at a time, as well as food options.

Freeman said each customer can purchase up to two six packs of beer and four bottles of wine in a single purchase.

She said the store has a policy at its beer-carrying stores that people drinking in the store must also purchase food.

Regular hours for beer sales will be 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 9 a.m.-10 p.m. on Sundays.

Council President William Turk said the borough is eager for the store to open.

“We need some help here,” Turk said.

The company plans to have the store open by April.

The Giant food store will replace the former Pathmark store.

In July 2015, grocery store chain A&P, which also operates Pathmark and Super Fresh stores in the area, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and planned to close or sell off stores due to heightened competition.

As part of that decision, 25 stores closed, including the one in Walnutport.

The building had previously housed a Super Fresh supermarket, and before that, a Kmart.

A Giant food store has been located in Lehighton since 2001.

That store, located in the Carbon Plaza Mall, last year became Carbon County’s first supermarket to sell beer and wine.