417 replies to this topic

[f1rehead]

runawayjim, on Apr 4 2007, 02:24 PM, said:

i'm glad the beer/wine issue will remain the way it is.  it allows smaller liquor stores to stay in business and not have to compete with larger chains that can sell stuff cheaper.  it keeps a better selection of beer and wine available in the smaller stores.  there was a big discussion on it over at beeradvocate.com regarding the referendum in MA in november to allow grocery stores to sell beer.  the consensus was that the selection available would be lost as liquor stores would be forced to carry more cheaper beer and wine to compete.

Not to veer too far off the main discussion, but in my experience that just isn't the case. There's much less selection of beer and wine (beer moreso than wine) in the smaller liquor stores here than there were in the supermarkets in Northern VA where I lived previously.

I had a much better selection of beer and wine at any supermarket than I've found at any liquor store here. I'm OK with protecting small businesses if that's the goal, but the idea of a better selection is pure canard.

Plus, it means we'll never, ever, ever get Two Buck Chuck in RI (though it's Three Buck Chuck now anyway).

[basachs]

runawayjim, on Apr 4 2007, 03:24 PM, said:

i'm glad the beer/wine issue will remain the way it is.  it allows smaller liquor stores to stay in business and not have to compete with larger chains that can sell stuff cheaper.  it keeps a better selection of beer and wine available in the smaller stores.  there was a big discussion on it over at beeradvocate.com regarding the referendum in MA in november to allow grocery stores to sell beer.  the consensus was that the selection available would be lost as liquor stores would be forced to carry more cheaper beer and wine to compete.

Then how do other states do this? In my travels to other states that allow beer and wine sold in grocery stores, there are still plenty of smaller independent liquor stores out there.

I remember distinctly at the QFC in Seattle, part of the Kroger supermarket chain, they not only have an amazing wine/beer selection, but also a full hard liquor section as well. Next was a gas station, and next to that another liquor store. I went into both, thinking that the independent must be selling something distinct, but it was the same stuff the QFC had on a smaller scale. Both places were busy. I asked the proprietor if they suffered being so close to the QFC. He said not at all, since a lot of people just want to get booze and not deal with the hassle of going into a grocery store.

I think there are enough thirsty people to go around.

[runawayjim]

f1rehead, check nikki's in north providence for selection.

it's been my experience, especially in CT and the places i've been in philly to buy beer, that the grocery stores have poor selection and the liquor stores don't have a whole lot more.  the places in philly that sell beer near my fiacee don't even have victory, which is only an hour outside of philly.  in CT, at least near my hometown (and even the liquor stores near uconn) have a decent selection, but not a whole lot of good beer.  even in NH and ME, the beer selection is pretty poor in most of the places i've been.

so while the little guy might not get hurt (which is the case in CT because grocery stores can only sell beer, not wine or hard liquor), the selection tends to lack a bit because the little guy needs to be able to compete with the big guy, so shelf space for a microbrew might be taken up by some extra bud.

[f1rehead]

runawayjim, on Apr 4 2007, 03:39 PM, said:

f1rehead, check nikki's in north providence for selection.

it's been my experience, especially in CT and the places i've been in philly to buy beer, that the grocery stores have poor selection and the liquor stores don't have a whole lot more.  the places in philly that sell beer near my fiacee don't even have victory, which is only an hour outside of philly.  in CT, at least near my hometown (and even the liquor stores near uconn) have a decent selection, but not a whole lot of good beer.  even in NH and ME, the beer selection is pretty poor in most of the places i've been.

so while the little guy might not get hurt (which is the case in CT because grocery stores can only sell beer, not wine or hard liquor), the selection tends to lack a bit because the little guy needs to be able to compete with the big guy, so shelf space for a microbrew might be taken up by some extra bud.

North Providence? That's just too far, I'm a Rhode Islander now!  

I disagree that large chain stores by default offer less selection, both supermarkets and liquor stores. The liquor laws in RI are crazy antiquated and there's plenty of evidence in other states that you can have beer and wine in supermarkets, liquor store chains, and still have a thriving independent liquor store. At any rate, supermarkets selling beer and wine doesn't preclude small stores from competing with a better selection. In fact, that might be a good way to get good beer here.

I thought you could only get beer at bars and beer distributors in PA. Has that changed since I moved away (I've lived _everywhere_!).

BTW, one good beer selection in the state doesn't do much to buttress your position... .

[jencoleslaw]

WEGMAN's!

i think the closest we come to a decent grocery (big) is the Big Y in Norwich. And that one is right next to a WalMart. Norwich is a bit of a down and out town, and i bet there are even better Big Ys in CT. I think we pass on in Strafford on our way to visit my Gram in Enfield.

I hated just about every minute of my 4 months in Northern Virginia, but the shopping was awesome. What i missed, and what i think we have lots of here which is probably why we put up with crappy grcoeries, are all these little specialty shops, like meat markets, and delis, and fish stores and cheese stores and fancy italian and otherwise bakeries, and all those things that are all wrapped up into one super duper Wegman's or Harris-Teeter.

it was magical though, to have HT, Wegman's, Trader Joe's, Giant, Food Lion, Safeway and Whole Foods all within 10 miles. Food Lion was gross though. and I wasn't a huge fan of Giant. They just didn't try hard enough.

[runawayjim]

f1rehead, on Apr 4 2007, 04:52 PM, said:

North Providence? That's just too far, I'm a Rhode Islander now!  

I disagree that large chain stores by default offer less selection, both supermarkets and liquor stores. The liquor laws in RI are crazy antiquated and there's plenty of evidence in other states that you can have beer and wine in supermarkets, liquor store chains, and still have a thriving independent liquor store. At any rate, supermarkets selling beer and wine doesn't preclude small stores from competing with a better selection. In fact, that might be a good way to get good beer here.

I thought you could only get beer at bars and beer distributors in PA. Has that changed since I moved away (I've lived _everywhere_!).

BTW, one good beer selection in the state doesn't do much to buttress your position... .

i was giving you the example of the best beer store in the state.  there's others that have great selections as well.

i don't remember beer or wine in the grocery stores in PA, i don't think they have them there.  but the places that sell beer around my fiancee are pizza places.  the liquor stores don't have beer.  the pizza places near her have a couple coolers with some singles and some 6 packs, but not a large selection.

i do realize that the liquor laws are a bit antiquated, but they're not as bad as CT where you can't distribute beer where you brew it.  so you either have to be a brewery that distributes it elsewhere or a brewpub that can't offer bottles or growlers.  and, like i said, the supermarkets in CT have a pretty poor selection of beer generally and the same goes for just about every liquor store.

the best selection i saw in a state that wasn't limited to liquor stores was VT.  but VT's just cool in general and has some of the best breweries in new england.

[markOne]

basachs, on Apr 4 2007, 12:25 PM, said:

I think this is directed at me, not Dave since this is his first post in this thread and I was the one that proclaimed my snobbery.

oops.  good catch!!  Yes I was directing my comment at you...

[jencoleslaw]

markOne, on Apr 4 2007, 07:19 PM, said:

oops.  good catch!!  Yes I was directing my comment at you...

dave is kind of a grocery snot too, though, and not particularly nice about it like Basachs.

[f1rehead]

runawayjim, on Apr 4 2007, 03:39 PM, said:

f1rehead, check nikki's in north providence for selection.

I went by there after work tonight. Sorry to say: the selection is good for RI, but pales in comparison to even the Whole Foods stores in NoVa... .

OK, now we need to get back on topic. Jim, I'll have to talk to you in person about this next week.

[smcbride11]

f1rehead, on Apr 4 2007, 09:42 PM, said:

I went by there after work tonight. Sorry to say: the selection is good for RI, but pales in comparison to even the Whole Foods stores in NoVa... .

OK, now we need to get back on topic. Jim, I'll have to talk to you in person about this next week.

Granted, it's not in RI, but head up to Yankee Spirits on Rt 1 in S. Attleboro one of these days...  Talk about a selection!

[runawayjim]

f1rehead, on Apr 4 2007, 10:42 PM, said:

I went by there after work tonight. Sorry to say: the selection is good for RI, but pales in comparison to even the Whole Foods stores in NoVa... .

OK, now we need to get back on topic. Jim, I'll have to talk to you in person about this next week.

they have over 300 different beers.  i can't picture any whole foods, no matter what state they're in, with that many different beers.

[basachs]

runawayjim, on Apr 5 2007, 07:17 AM, said:

they have over 300 different beers.  i can't picture any whole foods, no matter what state they're in, with that many different beers.

Nto to be a snot, but I can. Whole Foods in Sudbury MA. For some reason they have an amazing selection of beer.

I second the Yankee Spirits rec. A real dilapidated old grocery store, and I am not too fond of the way they store their wine( jumbling everything in bargain bins, no matter if it is a 300 or 5 dollar bottle), but their selection and prices cannot be beat around here.

[chemgeek]

[quote name='runawayjim' date='Apr 4 2007, 04:22 PM' post='742029']
i was giving you the example of the best beer store in the state.  there's others that have great selections as well.

i don't remember beer or wine in the grocery stores in PA, i don't think they have them there.  



Pennsylvania is the strangest state I have ever encountered as far as its alcohol laws. You buy beer at a state-run beer store. And you can only buy cases or kegs. If you want a 6-pack, you have to buy it at a *bar* at a premium (unless you live in a big college town like State College, where there are a few 6-pack shops). Wine and liquor are sold only at state-run liquor stores.

K.

[runawayjim]

basachs, on Apr 5 2007, 09:25 AM, said:

Nto to be a snot, but I can. Whole Foods in Sudbury MA. For some reason they have an amazing selection of beer.

i thought whole foods was considered a grocery store and couldn't sell beer in MA?

[basachs]

runawayjim, on Apr 5 2007, 12:31 PM, said:

i thought whole foods was considered a grocery store and couldn't sell beer in MA?

Dont know what to tell you. I dont know enough about it. I just know they sell it and have a great selection. Stuff I cannot find anywhere else, and still cant unless I go up there. Which I never do anymore...

Also, it is in Wayland MA, not Sudbury. My mistake.

[runawayjim]

basachs, on Apr 5 2007, 12:39 PM, said:

Dont know what to tell you. I dont know enough about it. I just know they sell it and have a great selection. Stuff I cannot find anywhere else, and still cant unless I go up there. Which I never do anymore...

Also, it is in Wayland MA, not Sudbury. My mistake.

try nikki's mix-a-6 section.  although i guess with celiac disease you don't drink a whole lot of beer.

[Liamlunchtray]

runawayjim, on Apr 5 2007, 12:31 PM, said:

i thought whole foods was considered a grocery store and couldn't sell beer in MA?

Some grocery stores in MA sell beer and others dont - Im not sure what the distinction is. When I was a kid Almacs in Blackstone always had a big beer/wine selection. Its sort of like the weird Drugstore booze thing in RI. Beaupre's in Woonsocket had a full liquor selection - hard stuff, beer, wine, etc...

[basachs]

runawayjim, on Apr 5 2007, 01:00 PM, said:

try nikki's mix-a-6 section.  although i guess with celiac disease you don't drink a whole lot of beer.

Oh its my wife that has celiac. I could not live without traditional baked goods. Although my wife makes a very passable gluten free donut.

[JJK5]

Liamlunchtray, on Apr 5 2007, 01:02 PM, said:

Some grocery stores in MA sell beer and others dont - Im not sure what the distinction is. When I was a kid Almacs in Blackstone always had a big beer/wine selection. Its sort of like the weird Drugstore booze thing in RI. Beaupre's in Woonsocket had a full liquor selection - hard stuff, beer, wine, etc...

I don't know if it's town by town or what.  There's a Hannaford on the Lowell/Dracut border that has a full liquor aisle.  Coming from NH it really annoys me that no grocery stores or gas stations in RI sell beer/wine.

[Cotuit]

runawayjim, on Apr 5 2007, 12:31 PM, said:

i thought whole foods was considered a grocery store and couldn't sell beer in MA?

I believe there is some sort of complicated arrangement where the alcohol sales are run as a separate business. It may not always be apparent to the consumer though.