More than 3,000 people have signed a petition in hopes of saving a Salt Lake City liquor store that’s scheduled to close on Oct. 1 as part of a Legislature-ordered statewide cost-cutting plan.

The store, at 1457 S. Main St., rang up sales totaling more than $3.1 million last year.

“Closing the store doesn’t make sense when it’s making money for the state,” said Rick Tresise as he picked up bottles of wine for the weekend. “For customers, it’s inconvenient to have to go to another store.”

Several stores were considered for closure after legislative auditors rejected commissioners’ plan to cut hours at the state’s largest stores to generate $653,000 in savings this year.

Among the stores targeted for closure was the outlet in South Salt Lake. But that city’s mayor and police chief successfully lobbied the commission to reconsider, citing higher crime rates when stores are shuttered.

No official from neighboring Salt Lake City made a similar pleading for the Main Street store at the June meeting. On Friday, Lisa Harrison Smith, spokeswoman for Mayor Ralph Becker, said the city has taken no position on the store closing because it is a state — not a municipal — issue.

Ironically, the South Salt Lake store had $637,000 less in sales than the Salt Lake City store. And while the Main Street store increased sales by 3.5 percent from the previous year, the South Salt Lake outlet saw sales decline by nearly 4 percent.

Jerry Christensen, who lives in the neighborhood of the Main Street store, called Salt Lake City’s absence at the meeting “unfortunate.” He said supporters hope to get on the City Council agenda in August to present the petition and discuss what can be done to save the store.

“I can drive anywhere to another liquor store, but there are folks in my neighborhood who can’t,” he said. “Some of my neighbors are veterans who have had some rough times. They should be able to shop at a store that’s close by.”

The two closest stores to the Main Street outlet are about 2 miles to the north, at 205 W. 400 South in downtown Salt Lake City, and 1 mile west, at 280 W. Harris Ave.

Both the Main Street store and an older outlet have operated in the neighborhood since the early 1970s. Bonds for the current store, which opened in 1994, will not be paid off until 2014.

“Customers don’t understand why we have to close,” said manager Chuck Waagen. “More than 3,000 people have signed a petition to keep the store open. ”

Despite record liquor profits, lawmakers ordered the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to reduce its budget by $1.6 million over the past two years.

Alcohol-control commissioners had opted to cut hours at the state’s largest stores that are open for 12 hours to achieve savings. But legislative auditors rejected the plan in favor of closing stores, particularly in Salt Lake City, where 14 stores are located within a five-mile radius.

Closing a store would also eliminate workers, particularly full-time employees who are paid for what auditors called “unproductive hours,” such as vacation pay and sick leave.

The closure of the Main Street store could mean laying off three full-time workers and four part-timers. Store manager Waagen has worked for the alcohol-control department for 30 years. The assistant store manager, Patricia Anderson, is a 24-year-department veteran.