Wine is a specialty market. I know a lot about the inner workings of
liquor stores because my father owned and ran one from 1933 to about 1970.
Of course liquor store owners will feel threatened by wine sales in
grocery stores. But look at what will probably be
sold. "Convienence" products. I doubt that we will find Chateauneuf du
Pape or Eitelsbacher Marienholz in the local "stab and grab" store.
Look at the figures for 3.2 beer sales. I don't know what they are, but I
don't think there is a big dent in liquor store sales.
Most people will buy jug wine. I certainly wouldn't trust buying an
expensive bottle that has gathered dust and has been sitting on the shelf
too long.
The liquor market has changed since I did my time there.
Perhaps part of the discussion has to do with "blue laws." If that is the
case, then let's talk about that. There is some archaic thinking that is
behind them. Wine sales is a regulation issue. Are we going to draw the
line in the sand over this product and not other products that are part of
everyday life.
I've lived in other states and in Europe. When I lived in France I had to
adjust to the "wine breaks" that workers took at 9:00 am or so. At first
it was a shock, but then I saw that that was the way things worked
there. Everyday life went on as usual. Wine sales in convience stores is
pretty typical outside of Minnesota.
On Mon, 22 Jan 2001, Rosalind Nelson wrote:
> What do people who have experience buying wine in grocery stores in other
> states think about claims that this would put smaller liquor stores out of
> business and lead to a reduced wine selection?
>
> My only experience with buying wine in liquor stores was in the
> Netherlands. Grocery stores there generally had modest but appealing wine
> selections, and the liquor stores with larger selections didn't seem to be
> hurting. But my impression is that the Netherlands also has
> "protectionist" measures for small businesses in general that would never
> be tolerated here.
>
> Rosalind Nelson
> Bancroft
>
>
>
> At 04:19 PM 1/22/01 -0600, Phyllis Kahn wrote:
> >Let there be at least one voice on this list raised in strong support of
> the wine in grocery stores bill. Part of my family lives in Eugene, OR so
> we've had some experience with it. One of the big pluses is the
> encouragement of a kind of store that would be very welcome in the area.
> Wine belongs with food in a truly civilized society. With all the negatives
> being expressed, why aren't all these folks working to get 3.2 beer out of
> grocery stores. What about proposing an even exchange? Bad beer out and
> good wine in.
> >
> >Phyllis Kahn, State Rep. 59B, Ward 5
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy
> >Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
> >http://e-democracy.org/mpls
> >
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy
> Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
> http://e-democracy.org/mpls
>
_______________________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy
Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
http://e-democracy.org/mpls
