Liquor store

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A liquor store in Decatur, Georgia.
A liquor store in Decatur, Georgia.

A liquor store is the American name for a type of convenience store which specializes in the sale of alcoholic beverages in the countries where its consumption is strongly regulated. In some parts of the US, (especially New England and on US Navy bases), a liquor store is called a package store or "packie" for short. In alcoholic beverage control (ABC) states, package stores often sell only distilled spirits or sometimes sell distilled spirits and wine but not beer. ABC-run package stores may be called ABC stores. The term "package" derives from the fact that following the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, a political compromise was reached with leaders of the temperance movement whereby containers of alcoholic beverages could not legally be carried in public uncovered from view. Thus, stores that sold alcohol for consumption elsewhere wrapped or "packaged" them for their customers' convenience.

Contents

[edit] Regions in which sale of alcohol is restricted to liquor stores

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(Conditions and exceptions noted.)

[edit] Oceania

  • Australia - Regulation of alcoholic beverage sales is a state responsibility. Generally, beer, wine, and liquor must be purchased at dedicated bottle shops, colloquially known as bottle-o in some states. These may be a separate section of a supermarket or an individual store - major retail corporations usually have their own bottle shop franchises located in close proximity to their supermarket operations. Drinking establishments may also sell liquor for off-site consumption. Drive thru alcoholic retail outlets are common. The state of Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory permit the sale of alcoholic beverages from supermarkets and convenience stores, however this is rare in practice due to a prohibition on the serving of alcohol by persons under the age of 18. In other states, attempts have been made to make alcoholic beverages available from a greater variety of retail outlets, but these have been repeatedly defeated, primarily due to the lobbying of the clubs, hotels and pubs industry (who have vast gambling revenues), as well as the pressure of lobby groups who perceive that a more widespread availability of alcoholic beverages will increase the opportunity for harmful levels of alcohol consumption.
  • New Zealand - Supermarkets and convenience stores may sell beer and wine only. Liquor must be purchased at dedicated bottle shops.

[edit] Nordic countries

Note: All Nordic countries, except Denmark, have government-owned alcohol monopolies.
  • Finland - Wineries may sell wine and grocery stores may sell beer less than 4.7% alcohol by volume (ABV), all other alcohol must be purchased in the Alko store.
  • Sweden - Grocery stores may sell beer less than 3.5% ABV, all other alcohol must be purchased in the state-run Systembolaget stores.

[edit] United States

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Alcohol laws of the United States by state. (Discuss)

The majority of the states in the U.S. have laws specifying which alcoholic beverages must be sold in specialty liquor stores, and which can be sold in other venues. In some states, the specialty liquor stores are run exclusively by the state government.

  • Arizona - Supermarkets sell liquor, beer, and wine. No sales are allowed between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., or between 2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. on Sundays.
  • California - Liquor is available in supermarkets, most convenience stores, and privately run liquor stores, most which also sell non-liquor items and also run as convenience stores. No sales are allowed between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m..
  • Colorado - Beer over 3.2% and all other forms of liquor must be purchased in dedicated liquor stores, which must close by midnight six days and week and must be closed for all of Sunday.
  • Connecticut - Supermarkets and convenience stores can sell beer and other malt beverages. Wine and hard liquor can only be sold in dedicated package (liquor) stores. All alcohol sales are prohibited after 9:00 p.m. and on Sundays (except for on-site consumption in restaurants and bars.)
  • District of Columbia - Convenience stores (but not supermarkets over a certain square footage) may sell beer and wine seven days a week. Liquor may only be sold at dedicated private liquor stores which must close on Sundays. All sales must stop at 10:00 p.m.
  • Florida - Supermarkets and convenience stores may sell beer, wine, and some liqueurs, hard liquor must be bought in a dedicated liquor store. Liquor stores may be operated as part of a grocery or drug store chain, but must be totally separated. Stores may sell beer at 7 am and liquor at 10 am Monday-Saturday. Sales generally end at 1 or 2 am, but are a local option. Sunday sales start time decided by local option. The only exception is Miami-Dade County where sales are 24/7. Sale of liquor above 153 proof prohibited by law statewide.
  • Georgia - Supermarkets and convenience stores sell beer and wine from 6:00 (sometimes later) a.m. to midnight (sometimes earlier, sometimes later at local option). Atlanta and very few other cities allow sales 24/7 M-Sat. Liquor must be purchased at dedicated private liquor stores allowed to operate until time set by a city or county (no later than midnight). No alcohol (including beer or wine) may be sold for off-premise consumption on Sundays per state law. Georgia also has drive-thru package stores, though they are sometimes banned by the city or county.
  • Hawaii - Supermarkets and convenience stores sell at all stores everyday until 11 p.m.
  • Idaho - Hard liquor must be purchased at state liquor stores.
  • Illinois - Liquor, beer, and wine may all be sold in supermarkets.
  • Indiana - Liquor, beer, and wine may all be sold in supermarkets. Cold beer may only be sold in liquor stores and drug stores. No carryout sales on Sunday (dine in permitted at bars and restaurants).
  • Iowa - Supermarkets sell beer, wine and liquor. Almost all convenience stores sell beer and other malt beverages, but not between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. Bars also close at 2:00 a.m.
  • Kansas - Supermarkets and convenience stores in KS may sell only beer with no more than 3.2% alcohol by weight (4% by volume). Any other alcohol must be sold at a dedicated liquor store. Sales on Sunday are decided by the individual municipalities.
  • Maryland - Liquor stores are not open on Sundays in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Maryland. Liquor stores are open in Howard County, Maryland.
  • Massachusetts - Sales are allowed between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., or 11:30 p.m. on days preceding legal holidays. Sales also are restricted to after 12 noon on Sundays, Christmas (should Christmas fall on Sunday, December 26th is subject to this restriction), and the last Monday in May. Licenses to sell liquor may only be issued to persons whose primary residence is within, or LLCs and LLPs organized under the laws of, the Commmonwealth. Also, any one individual, group, or corporation statewide may not hold more than one license in a town (two per city), or three licenses statewide, each license representing an individual point of sale.[1] All alcoholic beverages require such a license, although cooking wines, not considered beverages, do not.
  • Michigan- Liquor and beer is available from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 2 a.m. Sunday at licensed establishments, including bars, restaurants, liquor stores - often called "party stores" - and grocery stores. No alcohol is available before 6 p.m. Christmas Day.
  • Minnesota - Beer over 3.2% alcohol, wine, and hard liquor can only be purchased in private or municipal liquor stores (and a very small number of drug and grocery stores). Some municipalities have monopolies on liquor sales. No liquor sales on Sunday.
  • Nebraska - Beer, wine, and liquor are available in supermarkets and privately run liquor stores which also sell non-liquor items and often run as convenience stores.
  • Nevada - All types of beer, wine, and spirits can be purchased 24 hours a day virtually anywhere, including but not limited to grocery stores, convenience stores, hotels, and drive-thru liquor stores. Nevada has very few restrictions on alcohol except for age.
  • New Hampshire - Supermarkets and convenience stores may sell beer and wine from 7am to 11.45 PM 7 days a week. Delivery of beer (much like delivery of pizza) is also legal. Hard liquor may only be purchased at New Hampshire State Liquor Commission (NHSLC)-run stores.
  • New Jersey - Only dedicated liquor stores may sell alcoholic beverages of any kind (although dedicated liquor stores can exist within supermarkets as long as they are separately secured and transactions take place within them). Individual municipalities may issue one off-premise liquor license for every 7,500 inhabitants or may ban the sale of alcohol altogether.
  • New York - Supermarkets may sell some alcohol, such as beer, or cooking wine with less than 5% alcohol. Hard liquor and wine must be purchased in a dedicated liquor store. New York's blue laws have, within the last few years, been revised to allow for the sale of hard liquor seven days a week. In August 2006, Albany changed laws to permit the sale of malt beverages on Sundays beginning at 8:00 a.m., instead of the previous noon.
  • North Carolina - Hard liquor and fortified wines can only be purchased at state-run liquor stores. Wine and beer are available at grocery and convenience stores after 12pm.[2] Some package stores here do not allow the sale of sodas or chasers. Private drive-thru beer stores exist.
  • Ohio - Only state-run liquor stores can sell alcoholic beverages over 42 proof (21% alcohol by volume).
  • Oklahoma - Supermarkets and convenience stores may sell only beer with no more than 3.2% alcohol by weight (4% by volume). Any other alcohol must be sold at a dedicated liquor store at room temperature. Dedicated liquor stores are closed by law on Sundays in Oklahoma.
  • Oregon - Beer and wine may be sold in supermarkets, convenience stores, etc. Spirits are sold only in state-run or state contract stores. As part of a pilot-program that the OLCC established in 2004, some grocery stores in the Portland area now have dedicated, self-contained liquor stores within the main establishment. The program received positive critical acclaim from consumers.
  • Pennsylvania - Only the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board-run Wine & Spirits Shoppes may sell hard liquor or wine (although wineries may sell their own products to consumers). Beer may only be purchased from beer distributors (by the case or keg; 1/4 or 1/2 kegs to consumers) or in bars/restaurants (by the six-pack).
  • South Carolina - Beer may not have more than 6% alcohol and may be sold at convenience stores, grocery stores, or drive-thru beer stores. Beverages of over 16% alcohol by content must be sold at liquor stores, and such may not sell beer. Sunday beer sales are a local option and require a special license from the state. No bars or liquor stores are permitted within 300-500 feet (depending on municipality) of a church, school, or playground. Liquor stores may not open before 9 a.m. and must close before 7 p.m. on Mondays to Saturdays, and may not open on Sundays. The selling of beer on Sundays is a local option determined by each county or city.
  • South Dakota - No alcohol may be sold on Sundays, unless a special permit is purchased by the vendor. All establiments may sell liquor as long as it is further than 500 feet from a church or school until 2 a.m. (12 midnight in Sioux Falls).
  • Tennessee - No alcohol sales on Sundays, except beer after noon. Monday through Saturday beer may be purchased until 3 a.m., liquor and wine until midnight. Beer can be sold by any licensed retailer. Liquor and wine can only be sold in licensed liquor stores, which cannot stock beer. It is common to see stores circumvening this law by having one cash register strictly for beer purchases and another for liquor and wine (usually with a partition of some sort separating beer from liquor/wine).
  • Texas - No liquor sales on Sundays. No wine or beer sales on Sundays before noon unless accompanied by sale of food. Liquor stores may only open from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Beer sales allowed only before midnight, except Saturdays (1:00 A.M., technically Sunday morning) and in restaurants and bars (2 a.m.). Liquor stores must close on Christmas and New Year's Day.
  • Utah - Beer over 3.2% alcohol (By Weight, not Volume), wine, and hard liquor can only be purchased in state-owned liquor stores. State liquor stores are closed on Sundays.
  • Vermont - Supermarkets and convenience stores may sell beer and wine. Hard liquor must be purchased in state-contracted liquor agencies. These agencies are typically located in private stores, with the liquor section separated and a dedicated cash register provided by the Vermont Department of Liquor Control (DLC).
  • Washington - Beer and wine may be purchased at supermarkets and convenience stores, but hard liquor can only be purchased in a state-run or state-contract liquor store. Hours of operation for each store is set by the store manager, but all liquor stores must be closed by 10 p.m.. Historically, all stores were closed on Sundays, but in 2005, Governor Christine Gregoire signed a bill into law allowing select liquor stores to open on Sundays, most of which open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.. Some contract stores (typically stores that are in more urban areas such as Seattle and Spokane) have chosen to open on Sundays.
  • Wisconsin - No beer, wine and liquor sales are permitted after 12 a.m. except in restaurants and bars (2 a.m.)

[edit] Canada

Note: All provinces except Alberta have government-owned retail liquor monopolies. British Columbia has both private and government-owned retail liquor outlets. However, due to Federal law, all provincial liquor boards must act as first importer of alcoholic beverages. [3] [4]
  • Alberta - Only liquor stores may sell alcoholic beverages in urban areas, but unlike other provinces they are all privately owned and operated. Recently the province has allowed supermarkets to open attached liquor stores, but with separate entrances. In areas without another liquor retailer within a 15 km radius, any licensed retailer may sell beer, wine, and liquor, including convenience stores, general stores, and gasoline (petrol) stations. The AGLC has retained its monopoly over the wholesaling of imported beer, wine and distilled spirits, although the distribution of these products is done by a private contractor.
  • British Columbia - Only stores owned by pubs and in the same jurisdiction, government owned stores, and rural government appointed liquor agencies may sell beer, wine, and liquor. There are also VQA wine stores which are privately owned and sell only BC wines that have the VQA designation. Also, there are a limited number of private wine shops which can sell both BC and non-BC wines. [5]
  • Manitoba - Only hotels may sell beer. Beer, Wine, and Liquor only sold by government owned Liquor Marts. There are also a limited number of private wine retailers in Manitoba as well.
  • New Brunswick - Only government owned liquor stores or rural government appointed liquor agencies may sell beer, wine, and liquor.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador - Convenience Stores may sell beer that is brewed locally. Wine, liquor and imported beer is only sold by government owned liquor stores, or rural government appointed liquor agencies.
  • Nova Scotia - In the past, only the provincially-owned NSLC (Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation) could sell liquor products, including hard liquor, wine, and beer. Many NSLC locations are connected to grocery stores. Over the past five years, the NSLC has began to allow a limited number of small private agency stores to operate in rural areas where there is not a NSLC location.
  • Ontario - Predominantly foreign-owned and operated Brewers Retail Inc. (operating as The Beer Store) is the only privately owned entity that can sell beer. Only the provincially-owned Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) may sell hard liquor or wine, though it also sells beer, particularly in small markets that Brewers Retail does not serve. There are also a limited number of privately owned specialty wine stores that are run by Vincor International and Andres Wines. Breweries and wineries are also permitted to sell their own products on the site that the products were made. [6]
  • Quebec - Only the provincially-owned Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) may sell hard liquor. Wine (that is bottled in Quebec) and beer (that is brewed in Quebec or imported beer that is distributed by a local brewer) can be purchased at dépanneurs (corner stores) and supermarkets.
  • Saskatchewan - Only government owned stores, rural private government liquor agencies (private contractors), and hotels may sell beer, wine and liquor.

[edit] Other uses

For the Hawaiian convenience store chain, see ABC Stores (Hawaii)

[edit] References

  1. ^ "MGL Chap. 138, Sec. 15" retrieved December 2, 2006
  2. ^ NC Gen. Stat. ch 18B S 800
  3. ^ Canadian Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act. [1]
  4. ^ The distribution arrangements for Canadian alcohol sales are summarized in Statistics Canada's "The Control and Sale of Alcoholic Beverages in Canada," page 46. [2]
  5. ^ BC Liquor Board's breakdown of the retail alcohol system. [3]
  6. ^ Full details about Ontario's retail alcohol system can be found in the most current LCBO AR. [4]
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