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Dry South Jersey Town Inches Closer To Allowing Craft Breweries

By Justin Udo

COLLINGSWOOD, N.J., (CBS) -- One dry New Jersey town is one step closer to giving craft beer makers the green light to start brewing their own ale.

On Monday night the Collingswood Borough Commissioners voted yes to allowing breweries in their town.

"We did a lot of reaching out and we talked to people to see if they felt it would change the character of the town too much and they didn't. Our residents have been pretty much overwhelmingly in favor of it."

Collingswood Mayor Jim Maley says seeing that they are a dry town, at first, some restaurant owners were worried that these new establishments would be able to serve food and that would take business away from them.

"Breweries will be okay, brew pubs will not."

Maley adds, there are no liquor licenses in Collingswood and these breweries will not need them, so if the ordinance passes, they'll still be a dry town.

There will be another vote in August where they'll listen to public opinion and after that they will have a final vote on whether or not establishments will be welcome in Collingswood.

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