Should PA supermarkets sell beer?
The LCB agrees with Commonwealth Court: the upscale Wegman's chain can sell beer at in-store distributors, and maybe someday more markets and convenience stores will, too.
Should PA supermarkets sell beer?
Should PA supermarkets sell beer?
"The Wegmans supermarket chain met all of the legal requirements to received a license to sell beer, said Liquor Control Board Chairman P.J. Stapleton in a hearing Wednesday before the House Appropriations Committee," reports www.capitolwire.com. "The board’s decision to grant licenses to the grocery stores had been challenged, but a unanimous ruling from the Commonwealth Court earlier this week approved the liquor board’s decision, which would give consumers another option beyond the state’s traditional beer distributors.
"In response to a question from Minority Chairman Mario Civera, R-Delaware, Stapleton said the store’s application “complied with all aspects of the liquor code"... The liquor board is looking for ways to expand such locations, which Stapleton said provide “a nice convenience for consumers.”
Separately: "Depressing economic conditions seem to be driving more Pennsylvanians to drink," writes the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette here. "Through Dec. 31, the halfway point of fiscal 2008-09, state store sales were $1.02 billion. If the strong sales continue until June 30, they would be $2.04 billion for the full year," up from $1.8 billion last year, $1.7 billion the year before, even tho the state closed 20 stores last year (there are now 620). The state apparently doesn't track beer sales.
Yes.— Fascinated- Of course they should. Break up the monopoly and give consumers more buying choices.— tonyS
- Yes, what's the problem with it? It's done in many states and countries. It's an old antiquated law preventing such sales. There are laws in place that need to be enforced to prevent any such sales from getting out of control. For instance, they can't sell to intoxicated people, minors, etc.— Liberty4All
- Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and.... yes. I'm sick of having to buy an entire case of beer when I might just want a sick pack of a specific type. Wine too. This concept of making alcohol extremely difficult to obtain should have been abolished in, oh, 1941.— Bud Fox
Yes— snad264
Comment removed.- Why, so it's easier then it already is to get drunk ?What a bunch of losers. Now if they sold high-grade marijuana, now thats another story.— prizzo138
- Absolutely. PA needs to get out of the stone ages. We have family come in from different parts of the country and are amazed at the concept of state stores and distributors.— blackknight
- This isn't a Quaker state anymore and Prohibition ended some time ago. The only reason the PA system remains is the bad combination of unions and politicians that feed at the trough of tax money this monopoly provides. The public interest is not served by this system.— superfly
- I'll play the contrarian. As much as I hate the State Stores, beer distributors seem to do a nice job, are conveniently located and locally owned. Do we need to put the local guys/gals out of business? Isn't the Wegman family rich enough?— NickEeee
- I say it's about time and not only Wegman's, but every supermarket just like Florida.— Pooh
- I would assume that beer distributors would be able to make even more money because they would then be able to sell 12 packs at a higher profit margin while keeping their large purchasing power over other outlets with much less storage space. CAN'T WAIT!!!— vingio311
- ABSOLUTELY....BREAK GOV'T CONTROL OF THINGS....PRICES WILL DROP...AND GOV'T EMPLOYEES AND THEIR BENFITS WILL BE ELIMINATED....LET THE PRIVATE SECTO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST AND THE GOV'T DOES NOT BELONG IN THE RETAIL BUSINESS......AND IT WOULD BE MORE CONVIENT TO THE CONSUMER TO JUST HAVE TO GO TO ONE STORE.— nuggett
- YES. It should not even be a question. My fridge is to small to always hold a full case. ;)
- YES.— jH
