Alcohol in Grocery Stores-Gas Stations

[bekkiz]

As of June 1st, here in WA, you can get beer, wine AND liquor in pretty much any grocery store. Before then, you could only get liquor in the state run stores. However, the "liter tax" that they passed as well makes it all so much more expensive.

 

[Abbie]

We must really be in the minority because you can only get beer, wine, or liquor at a liquor store, which are private. None whatsoever in the grocery store, gas stations, or convenience stores.

We only recently (within the last few years) have had liquor stores open on a Sunday in our county. Prior to that we would either have to remember we needed it before Sunday or hop over to the next county. Made weekend parties a little more difficult!

 

[Pikester]

Here in NH you can only buy liquor at the state run liquor stores. Beer, wine and all those Hard Mike's type drinks can be bought at the grocery store, CVS, Rite-Aids, gas stations. There is a rule that restricts the selling of alcohol in stores between certain times but I can't remember and you can buy it on Sundays.

* Wanted to add that most restaurants here sell beer and liquor.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I could probably list the places you CAN'T buy alcohol in Missouri much easier than those where you can

 

[ChrisFL]

You can buy anywhere here in Michigan. Last time I was in Wisconsin I asked the bartender at the restaurant where the nearest party store was. He said "you mean like hats and balloons and stuff?"

party store? I'd be asking the same question!

Florida is pretty much all grocery stores and gas stations have beer and wine...some counties you can't purchase until noon on Sunday....stupid laws...

 

[LBIJim]

Also not quite true. While alcohol sales in grocery stores in NJ isn't all that widespread, it is and has been going on for a pretty long time. I can't remember a time when we couldn't buy beer, wine and alcohol at the grocery store on LBI ( used to be Beall's but now it's Murphy's), and I'm pushing 60.

It's also sold at Wegman's in Mount Laurel, but that only started in the past couple of years.

The Murphy's Mart in Beach Haven on LBI is actually licensed as a liquor store. It's only about 20% the size of a modern supermarket. Murphy's also has a store in Tabernacle Township with the same setup. Their three or four other stores don't sell alcohol.

There's a relatively new humongous Shop-Rite in Cinnaminson that is also licensed as a liquor store.

I believe it's up to local ordinances whether liquor stores can sell a full range of groceries.

The Wegmans and handful of other supermarkets in New Jersey that sell alcohol have to operate them as two separate businesses. In almost every case, you have to pay for your alcohol at a separate register within the liquor department.

In addition to liquor stores, beer and some wines and be purchased at bars/taverns with take-out licenses, euphemistically referred to as "Package Goods."

Jim

 

[Planogirl]

In Texas you can get liquor and stronger wine only at liquor stores. Beer and other wine you can buy at grocery stores and convenience stores but not before noon on Sunday. Liquor stores are closed all day on Sunday.

Actually you can only do this in "wet" counties. Some counties are dry and sell none of this. You'll see liquor stores just over the county line set up for the residents of the dry counties. It's really silly.

 

[malibuconlee]

Texas sells beer and wine in grocery store and gas stations. Hard alcohol can only be purchased in a liquor store. No alcohol before 12 on Sunday and liquor stores are closed on Sunday.

In Nebraska they sell everything at the grocery stores and gas stations any day of the week.

AH, there are dry areas in Texas as well. At least there were 10 plus years ago when we lived there. Areas in North Dallas are dry, you can tell when you are leaving them by the line of liquor stores. Restaurants and bars get around that by having free memberships. They "sign you up" when you order a drink or when you enter the club.

Here where I am in MO you can buy it all at Wal-Mart.

 

[mill4023]

In Texas you can get liquor and stronger wine only at liquor stores. Beer and other wine you can buy at grocery stores and convenience stores but not before noon on Sunday. Liquor stores are closed all day on Sunday.

Actually you can only do this in "wet" counties. Some counties are dry and sell none of this. You'll see liquor stores just over the county line set up for the residents of the dry counties. It's really silly.

It's all really ridiculous, especially when each town in a county has different laws.

Most of our county in NC was sort of dry until last year. You could buy beer and wine at grocery stores, but liquor stores weren't allowed and restaurants couldn't serve beer or liquor. It wasn't a big deal since it was only about 6 miles to get to another county(or certain towns in this county) with liquor stores. The biggest downside was that there were very few restaurants in our town. With alcohol sales being so profitable, there was really no motivation for restaurants to operate here when they could make money a lot easier in a neighboring area.

Last year, our town and several others, finally passed a vote to change the law. We now have a liquor store nearby and quite a few new restaurants are opening in the area. I still wish I could buy my liquor at Costco, but NC as a state is still hanging on to remnants of prohibition and an UNseparation of church and state, so who knows when that will happen.

 

[MomofKatie]

It's all really ridiculous, especially when each town in a county has different laws.

Most of our county in NC was sort of dry until last year. You could buy beer and wine at grocery stores, but liquor stores weren't allowed and restaurants couldn't serve beer or liquor. It wasn't a big deal since it was only about 6 miles to get to another county(or certain towns in this county) with liquor stores. The biggest downside was that there were very few restaurants in our town. With alcohol sales being so profitable, there was really no motivation for restaurants to operate here when they could make money a lot easier in a neighboring area.

Last year, our town and several others, finally passed a vote to change the law. We now have a liquor store nearby and quite a few new restaurants are opening in the area. I still wish I could buy my liquor at Costco, but NC as a state is still hanging on to remnants of prohibition and an UNseparation of church and state, so who knows when that will happen.

Ooh, ooh- hey, neighbor! I bet I know where you live- I am there, too!

 

[tvguy]

Here in California, gas stations, mini-marts grocery stores all sell all kinds of liquor, wine and beer. We do have a few Bev Mo's and a Total Wine, both huge warehouse type liquor, wine and beer stores.

Something else too, beer, wine and liquor go on sale here too. No fair trade or retail prices. You can buy many wines in the store for less than you can at the winery.

 

[disneyfans95]

I remember back in 80's when it was illegal to buy Coors in New York.

No clue why, but remember going over to Ct. to buy it ..

 

[bettymae1121]

In PA, you can only buy wine & spirits in a state-run liquor store. You buy beer in cases at a beverage distributor, or in six packs at a deli or certain types of restaurants. You cannot buy either in the grocery or convenience stores. It's insane.

It's the only thing about IL that my DH liked when he moved here from PA. He about fell over when he learned he could buy beer at the Jewel!

Everything else about IL is "stupid" and PA "does it better".

 

[maelstrom]

I like New York's laws overall. We can buy liquor and wine at the liquor store. Beer and certain wines and sangrias of a lower percentage can be bought at the grocery store and convenience store. Bars close at 4am and you can't buy liquor before (I think) noon.

It's nice to be able to buy liquor in the grocery stores out west (my first time to Arizona as an adult was an eye-opener), but I guess since I've grown up in New York, I'm used to having to make two trips, and most grocery stores have a liquor store in the same plaza.

I can't imagine living in a dry county somewhere... or anywhere with stricter laws than New York, really.

 

[amg35]

In Chicago, the only rule is you can't buy alcohol before 11 am on Sundays...go to Jewel and see everyone waiting by the staircase to go upstairs for booze!

Otherwise you can buy booze (spirits, wine, beer) at all grocery stores, drug stores (that choose to sell it), some gas stations, and of course liquor stores. And Target!

Nice.

 

[SandrA9810]

AH, there are dry areas in Texas as well. At least there were 10 plus years ago when we lived there. Areas in North Dallas are dry, you can tell when you are leaving them by the line of liquor stores. Restaurants and bars get around that by having free memberships. They "sign you up" when you order a drink or when you enter the club.

Here where I am in MO you can buy it all at Wal-Mart.

Before I knew my way around well in Texas, I went on a manhunt from a can of beer for making cheddar cheese soup. My aunt's town was dry, but just a mile west was a wet city. I didn't know that and wound up driving like 5 miles north on the highway.

 

[Micca]

It strikes me that in a nation than is nearly homogenized in every way, there are so many arcane laws about alcoholic beverages. I've lived in places where you get could anything anytime, and other places where you couldn't get certain things on Sunday. Strangest of all: You could get beer/wine coolers in grocery/convenience stores, but they had less alcohol than the liquor store versions.

 

[Poohforyou]

Here in NJ you mostly have to go to liquor stores for alcohol. There are exceptions. 2 trader Joe's sell beer and wine during certain hours. One we shop at regularly. Some wegmans have attached liquor stores and can sell beer/wine with the groceries during certain hours (we have 1 of these near us as well ).

NJ has a law that doesn't allow a store more than 2 liquor licenses. That's why only 2 trader Joe's sells alcohol.

 

[Shutterbug]

Here in Ohio we actually have Drive Thru's where you can by beer and wine.
You don't even have to get out of your car! Just drive through a building that looks like a long garage. Tell them what you want, they pull it out of a cooler and give it to you and you pay for it.

 

[MoonFaerie]

In NY you can buy beer and wine cooler type drinks in grocery stores. Wine and liquor has to be bought at a liquor store.

Same here in TN. Except I live semi-dry county. We don't have liquor stores, except in Gatlinburg. They were grandfathered in or something. We can buy beer at gas stations and grocery stores. We finally can buy beer and wine in restaurants. No liquor by the drink in Pigeon Forge, but Sevierville and Gatlinburg finally allow it.