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Liquor stores coalition argues wine in grocery stores will put them out of business [1]
['Hannah Metzger Hannah.Metzger Coloradopolitics.Com', 'Hannah Metzger', 'Brennan Linsley', 'Associated Press', 'Marianne Goodland', 'Marianne.Goodland Coloradopolitics.Com']
Date: 2022-10
Colorado liquor store owners have formed a coalition to fight three alcohol-related ballot measures, including one that seeks to allow the sale of wine in grocery stores.
Keeping Colorado Local said it represents hundreds of independent liquor stores that oppose Initiatives 96, 121 and 122, which, respectively, seek to remove the limit on liquor stores operated by one entity, allow grocery stores to sell wine, and let third-party delivery companies to deliver alcohol.
While supporters say the ballot measures are about increasing convenience and giving consumers more options, the coalition said they threaten the more than 1,600 small liquor businesses in Colorado by increasing competition from grocery stores, restaurants and national liquor corporations.
“This will put everybody out of business. Every small liquor store depends on wine sales to keep their lights on,” said Loren Touch of Gunbarrel Liquors in Gunbarrel. “We need to draw the line somewhere. … There's got to be a limit somewhere where the average person with the average intelligence and average means can build a life for themselves in the small business world.”
Currently, grocery stores in Colorado are only allowed to sell beer and other malt beverages, and liquor stores can only deliver alcohol to customers directly, using their own vehicles and employees.
The group seeking to change these laws, Wine in Grocery Store, has raised more than $11.4 million in support of Initiatives 121 and 122, according to Monday's data from the Secretary of State’s Office. Of the $11.4 million, more than $3.3 million is from DoorDash and another $3.3 million is from Instacart. Target, Kroger, Albertsons/Safeway and Whole Foods also each donated more than $1 million.
The coalition against the measures argue that these national companies are using Colorado as a cash grab without any regard for how the ballot measures will affect the local economy. The coalition also raised safety concerns about allowing third-party companies, such as UberEats or DoorDash, to deliver alcohol, saying it will open the door for underaged drinking and alcohol abuse.
“My entire staff takes training on how to recognize when someone shouldn't be sold liquor, whether it is that they are underage, to whether they're intoxicated in any way,” said Chris Carran of Locals Liquors in Silverthorne. "Not only for their own safety, but also for the safety of the community that we operate in.”
The campaign for Initiatives 121 and 122 argue that Coloradans prefer choice and the convenience of getting what they normally buy – food, plus beer and wine – at their grocery stores.
"And this is really spurred by consumer demand that expects this kind of convenience," Michelle Lyng, who speaks for Wine in Grocery Store, told Colorado Politics. "Picking up a bottle of wine, along with some spaghetti – consumers expect that."
Lyng also rejected the argument the initiatives would shut down liquor stores, saying Coloradans heard this argument years ago direct at the proposal to allow full-strength beer at grocery stores.
"That simply has not come to pass," she said.
As for allowing third-party delivery of alcohol, Lyng said this "opens an incredible market for restaurant delivery."
She also insisted that grocery stores have a better record of preventing the sale of liquor to minors.
Regarding Initiative 96, the coalition said allowing single entities to operate an unlimited number of liquor stores will lead to major liquor companies opening more locations in Colorado, pushing small, independent liquor stores out of the industry.
Advocates of Initiative 96 said it would create a "more level playing field" for the different businesses that sell alcohol for off-premise consumption.
"Creating parity and an orderly expansion for all businesses will foster competition, create jobs, increase selection and consumer choice, and lower costs for Coloradans," the initiative says.
Current law limits a person or business to holding only three licenses for retail liquor stores at once — to be increased to four by 2027. Initiative 96 would immediately raise the limit to eight, then to 19 by 2032 and remove the limit entirely by 2037.
Initiative 96 is backed by Total Wine & More, a liquor store with more than 200 locations in 27 states, including the maximum three in Colorado. The owners, brothers Robert and David Trone, have single-handedly funded the initiative’s issue committee, Coloradans for Consumer Choice and Retail Fairness, spending more than $2.6 million as of Monday, according to filings from the Secretary of State’s Office.
Keeping Colorado Local has so far raised around $400,000, including contributions from more than a dozen liquor stores and the Colorado Licensed Beverage Association.
The three initiatives received the minimum number of signatures to qualify for the ballot, being declared sufficient by the Secretary of State’s Office on Aug. 26. Initiative 96 collected 149,699 valid signatures, only needing 124,632 to qualify for the ballot. Initiatives 121 and 122 collected 142,697 and 139,312 valid signatures, respectively.
Coloradans will vote on the three ballot measures during the general election on Nov. 8.
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[1] Url:
https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/liquor-stores-coalition-argues-wine-in-grocery-stores-will-put-them-out-of-business/article_b3b46d56-2efc-11ed-b48f-b3743506055c.html
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