For the benefit of my non-United States readers, I need to explain that alcohol sales is controlled on the state level. Hence, 50 states, 50 ways of regulating it.
In my 20's and 30's (back in the 70's and 80's), I was introduced to various state ways of regulation, thanks to my spouse's military service. In Texas, at the Airman's Club, we could only drink beer with 3.2% alcoholic content.
In Kansas, where we were later stationed, you had to buy a membership in a restaurant to drink. At first, there was also a card involved. The bar or restaurant made you purchase a liquor card and they would punch out the value of the alcohol. I can't remember all the details, because it's been too long. Later in my Kansas residency, restaurants could offer reciprocal memberships, so if you bought a membership at one restaurant, it was good at a number of restaurants.
In Arkansas (where I lived for several years) I lived in a city that was located in two counties. One county was wet. One county was dry. That got interesting.
When we visited Utah in the 70's, our liquor came in those little bottles that airlines would pour from.
Things have loosened up some (well, a lot) but can still get ridiculous.
Iowa once had state liquor stores, but years ago, they dropped that and you can buy hard liquor in supermarkets. Some states, like North Carolina and Vermont, still have state run liquor stores.
Speaking of Vermont, they don't permit happy hours (for example, two drinks for the price of one at certain hours of the day).
Meanwhile, in my home state, things are about to get interesting.
In my New York childhood, you couldn't buy wine in supermarkets.
Oh, wait. You still can't. This despite the fact that New York State is one of the top wine producers (currently number three) in the United States. You can only buy wine (well, full strength wine) in liquor stores. (On the other hand, you can't buy beer in New York liquor stores. Got that?)
Now, there is a push to allow wine sales in grocery stores (but not in big box type stores like Wal-Mart and Target, or in gas stations or convenience stores). See the sign above? It was in front of a large New York based supermarket chain's local store.
New York is also one of the few states that don't allow any chain wine or liquor stores. No Total Wine. No Macadoodles. Our liquor stores, which are independently owned (well, not all of them, which is a long story I won't get into), are afraid that many of them will go out of business if grocery stores get the right to sell wine. I should note here, that unlike many other states, New York liquor stores can't sell food or liquor accessories, so this would make that hit worse.
Unlike the last attempt (in 2010), I have a feeling this "buy wine outside of wineries and liquor stores" push may be successful, because it is less broad than the 2010 bill.
Just in time for the senior citizen me, who rarely drinks. Oh well.
What are your liquor laws like?
I remember the first time I saw liquor for sale in a chain drug store I was shocked. I'm surprised too to hear about NY's wine sales restrictions.
ReplyDelete...liquor stores have played by the rules for years. They never were allowed to sell accessory items and now grocery stores that sell EVERYTHING want the rules changed. NO!!!
ReplyDeleteWe've been able to do this for decades in California and it is a real convenience. I think blue laws and the like are outmoded.
ReplyDeleteYou can buy wine and liquor all over Michigan, grocery stores, drug stores, local shops, big box stores... Serving liquor by the glass in a restaurant is more controlled, by the local community in fact. I used to be in charge of liquor licences in my community. A real eye-opener endeavor, lots of background checking.
ReplyDeleteFor many years, all we had were government-operated liquor stores. Now there are micro-breweries popping up all over the place. In our town of 20,000 we have three or four! Plus at least two liquor stores. No liquor sales in grocery stores however. Though they often build a separate building adjacent to the store specifically for liquor...
ReplyDeleteWhen I first came to Georgia in '87, you couldn't by alcohol on Sunday. I kept hearing that would change "soon," but by the time they managed to do it I had quit drinking and had had a stroke. In contrast, in Chicago there was a law that said taverns couldn't be open 24 hours, so they would close and lock the doors at 3 AM (often with the customers still inside), sweep the floor, and open again at 4 AM.
ReplyDeleteThere’s a supermarket chain here calked Stew Leonard’s. They have locations in Connecticut and New York. When they opened a location on Long Island, they also opened a store calked “Stew Leonard’s Wine”. It’s a separate store, across the parking lot, and presumably under separate corporate ownership.
ReplyDeleteWhen they opened a second supermarket on Long Island, they opened a wine store in the same shopping center. It’s called Ryann’s Wines. Again, the corporate ownership is different.
Want to guess who the stockholders are for each corporation?
They found a way to get around the legal restrictions.
Here in Massachusetts it depends on the town. Needham used to be dry, so you had to go to Newton or Wellesley to buy alcohol--or buy it when driving through New Hampshire to avoid liquor taxes. Here in Waltham, I can't buy alcohol from the grocery store, but can from Costco (separate but inside) or the local liquor stores. I can also drive further to Total Wine.
ReplyDeleteI don't drink, so I don't really pay attention. I know we have liquor aisles in all grocery stores. (I usually skip it.) Liquor stores are also convenience stores. (When I was a kid and we were out of milk, Mom would pop in one to grab a gallon. They sell lottery tickets and candy and such as well.) I've never looked too closely, but I'm pretty sure the stores all sell wine.
ReplyDeleteI remember visiting Utah for work, and you had to join a membership to buy a drink (late 80s-early 90s. Growing up in New Hampshire, you could only buy liquor in state-run liquor stores. In the late 90s I lived on Long Island and it always amazed me you couldn't buy soda for mixers in the liquor store. There always seemed to be second store beside the liquor store that sold mixers. And in Chicago back in the early 2000s, I saw my first pharmacy (Walgreens) with a liquor section. Here in Tennessee, we still have many dry counties.
ReplyDeleteI've been in several states as well, and the differences are a little entertaining. The Sunday blue laws made from some interesting workarounds.
ReplyDeleteAlcohol regulation is always mystifying wherever I go. Interesting to know and learn that US regulations on spirits are quite confusing too
ReplyDeleteIt is obviously easier to buy an assault weapon to kill school children than a bottle of wine to have with dinner.
ReplyDelete