Grocery store customers who find it more convenient to pick up a six-pack of beer while shopping for food instead of going to a bar or buying a case at a beer distributorship may soon be able to do so in South Strabane.

The township supervisors Tuesday night approved the transfer of a restaurant liquor license from Donora to South Strabane. Giant Eagle Inc. applied for the license.

Customers of the Giant Eagle on Route 19 will be able to buy up to two six-packs from a new restaurant area that will be created by remodeling part of the store to the left of the front entrance.

It will be the only place in the store where beer will be sold, and the store will have a "no exceptions" carding policy for every customer. The area will be designated with railings, half walls and an outdoor exit, said R.J. O'Hara, of Flaherty & O'Hara, a firm that provides liquor licensing counseling.

It probably will be six to eight months before the store starts to sell beer, and no remodeling will be done until the license is approved by the state Liquor Control Board, Mr. O'Hara said.

The license will allow the store to sell beer, wine and spirits, although the store has plans to sell only beer. Wine may sold in the future, but Giant Eagle has no plans to sell liquor, Mr. O'Hara said.

Remodeling plans call for relocating the Starbucks counter to the center of the store. The restaurant area will stretch to the deli and have 30 to 42 seats but no waiters or waitresses. Customers will be able to buy prepared food, such as pizza and salmon dinners, at the restaurant registers.

The restaurant will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and won't be designed as a place where customers are encouraged to linger and drink, Mr. O'Hara said. It will be well-lit and will not have any big screen TVs, discounts, happy hours, dance floors or smoking.

"Pennsylvania's slowly catching up to the rest of the country," Mr. O'Hara said.