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April 22nd, 2014 at 9:49:32 PM permalink
zippyboy
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 2
Posts: 665
Quote: AZDuffman
No, not joking. I think there are 4 states like this. You have to go to a "beer distributor" and you have to buy a case. Except some bars have 6 pack licenses and you can only take 2 out. And the six-pack license used to be the only way to buy beer on a Sunday, since relaxed I think. Most are not really "stores" at all but distributors and industrial looking.

It gets better, all stuff harder than beer has to be bought at a "State Store" since officially renamed "Wine and Spirits Store" but I will always call it the former. Prices are not bad nor is selection and the clerks are actually pretty well trained, but it is 100% Soviet State-Owned System. Some wineries can sell their own brands in the winery and their own stores but that is very limited.

Hilarious that some ass-backwards states make it hard to buy liquor, and more and more states are making marijuana legal.
April 23rd, 2014 at 2:53:16 AM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: zippyboy
Hilarious that some ass-backwards states make it hard to buy liquor, and more and more states are making marijuana legal.


They keep talking about dismantling and privatizing it but the workers union is too entrenched.
The President is a fink.
April 23rd, 2014 at 3:44:14 AM permalink
chickenman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 0
Posts: 368
Quote: Fleastiff
I think the term in Pennsylvania used to be "Package Store"... the state didn't even want to call them "liquor stores".

Still call them that here
He's everywhere, he's everywhere...!
April 23rd, 2014 at 5:10:52 AM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: chickenman
Still call them that here


Where is "here?"
The President is a fink.
April 23rd, 2014 at 6:04:30 AM permalink
chickenman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 0
Posts: 368
New England
He's everywhere, he's everywhere...!
April 23rd, 2014 at 10:10:47 AM permalink
TheCesspit
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 23
Posts: 1929
Quote: AZDuffman
They keep talking about dismantling and privatizing it but the workers union is too entrenched.


Same up here in BC and Ontario. I believe the Ontario Liquor Board is one of the biggest purchaser's of alcohol in the world. The BCGEU here threatened to strike if the Liquor Distribution Board was privatized in a recent plan. Be happy to see that happen, despite all their cheering about the amount of tax they generate... quite simply this sort of tax gains can be gathered from the existing sales taxes anyways, and I don't believe the state needs to be in the business of retail.
It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die.... it's called Life
April 23rd, 2014 at 2:38:15 PM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Its clear that retail sales can exist without damage to the people or the industry.
My only question for Canada would be concerning their Indigenous peoples reservations where bottles of booze can easily fetch several hundred percent in profits for a smugger.
April 23rd, 2014 at 10:59:24 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
In 1933, just four days before the sale of alcohol became legal in Pennsylvania, the Liquor Control Board was officially organized. Upon its creation, Governor Gifford Pinchot stated that the purpose of the Board was to discourage the purchase of alcoholic beverages by making it as inconvenient and expensive as possible.

In the past 80 years vested interests have developed around the law. Even small proposed changes create a firestorm. Since bars are permitted to sell up to two six packs of beers (max 192 ounces or 12*16 ounces) , the definition of "bar" has been stretched to the breaking point in recent years. New grocery stores now have a "bar" attached to the side where at least 95% of the beers are sold "to go". Markups are predictably huge.

Authorized beer distributors who are required to sell a case, can sell them in 7 (pony bottles), 12, 16 and 20 ounce bottles. A case of pony bottles is only 24*7=168 ounces. The pony bottle was introduced in 1933 at the repeal of prohibition and is fairly unique to Pennsylvania.

A number of states only sell hard liquor through state owned stores, but Pennsylvania is one of a very few control that sells wine by the state. Even local wineries have to technically sell their product to the state, which gives them a special license to resell.

Because liquor licenses for restaurants are difficult and costly to obtain, there is a small loophole where a restaurant is allowed to offer a courtesy gift of a glass of wine with a meal special. But it cannot be refilled.
April 23rd, 2014 at 11:34:33 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
When I moved to Calif in the 70's, all the grocery
stores sold hard liquor. The big chains, like Safeway,
even had they own label of vodka, whiskey and rum.
Incredibly cheap, a half gallon was like $5. We
didn't have this in MI yet, and I knew it was the way
god intended.

Most if not all grocery chains sell liquor now, even
Walmart. How you can stand not changing the laws
in PA is a mystery. The convenience of this is beyond
belief, for those of us who remember that liquor stores
were the only place to buy liquor. But not on Sunday.
Up until the late 70, we were dry on Sundays, even in
bars. What a colossal pain in the ass.

Exactly 2 miles from my house is a gas station with a
liquor license. I can't tell you the times I've gotten low
and run down there for a liter of something. They make
a killing selling it, more power to them.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
April 24th, 2014 at 9:31:29 AM permalink
Mosca
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 22
Posts: 730
Quote: AZDuffman
No, not joking. I think there are 4 states like this. You have to go to a "beer distributor" and you have to buy a case. Except some bars have 6 pack licenses and you can only take 2 out. And the six-pack license used to be the only way to buy beer on a Sunday, since relaxed I think. Most are not really "stores" at all but distributors and industrial looking.

It gets better, all stuff harder than beer has to be bought at a "State Store" since officially renamed "Wine and Spirits Store" but I will always call it the former. Prices are not bad nor is selection and the clerks are actually pretty well trained, but it is 100% Soviet State-Owned System. Some wineries can sell their own brands in the winery and their own stores but that is very limited.


Here in NE PA we have a few groceries and delis, most notably Wegmans, that serve food and use that to get around the restriction on selling carry out 6 packs. The craft beer sales business is flat out booming up here.
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