Just curious as to how everybody feels about Question #1 on the Massachusetts ballot.

My wife works at a liqour store so we have an interest in it. We look at it as taking away from the Mom and Pops.....since most liqour stores in the Commonwealth fall into that category. It will also make it a lot harder for the ABC to crack down on underage drinking.....just like there is never enough EP's to track down poachers there won't be enough ABC officer to crack down on selling to minors

Any Thoughts.....

I am biased :D.. it would hurt me if it passes, more than likely... my 83 year old boss and her son, my manager.. it would hurt them more.
so.. reason number one, and I won't BS you is, yes $$.
But.. what does the proposal read.. Food Store.. I already see in the local pharmacy them gearing up.. the Food Signs are in the windows..
So.. Grocery Stores.. Conveinence Stores.. Pharmacies that sell food and milk (most do now).. Gas Stations that sell Food and stuff.. all eligible to sell if it passes.. yeah OK.. law says for wine.. (don't believe it.. beer will be included almost right away.. there is no "wine only" liscense in this state.. it's beer &wine, or full liq.).. so.. kids will be handling and selling.. law states that you have to be 21 to drink, but can be 18 to sell or handle (this has always been a WTF for me).. tempatation to sell to friends will be there.. temtation to steal it out the back door will be there.. at the risk of sounding rascist.. immigrants will be selling.. they are ringing the registers... how thourough and knowledgable will they be with th ID's...
Aslo.. will their bosses explain to them about liability??? not just the store.. but I know that I am liable as well if I sell to an underage, or intoxicated person.. my head is on the line, as well as the business owner... and will the low paid clerks really grasp that concept...

Yeah.. so 47 other states do it... they have higher incidents with drunk driving.. and minors drinking too... food for thought..
and if you ask me.. MADD dropped the ball on this one.. AND the Sunday opening thing.. they would have oppossed both in their heyday back in the 80's when they were real "sue" happy.. now they have just become another fat lobby group.. selling to the highest buck.

#1 is being paid for by the folks from Europe that own Stop & Shop.. just an FYI... vote no.. keep the $$ local...


Have at it.. :D

I'd be against simply because increasing the suppliers would probably hurt the existing stores ability to carry higher end niche products.

-spence

I am voting against it I like it the way it is it seems to be working so why change it. We don't need to add easier ways for under aged kids to beable to get it.

I am voting no

Not voting for it, we don't need to make it any easier for people to get booze. We have enough trouble with drunk driving as it is, why risk making the problem worse.

good thread, I was goign to vote yes, I figured it would make it easier to buy wine, when I am at the grocery store. But then I thought about it, the big supermarkets dont need any more $, this will hurt the little guy. So, I decided to vote no and continue to support the mom and pop liquor store.

What it will end up being is 18 year old clerk in 7-11 asking for ID's from people. They wont know if thier fake ID's, they'll sell to thier friends more often. We do not need anyomre retail sales outlets for alcohol, oh ya, and if you think that in a few years all of these new wine outlets wont be applying for beer sales also your crazy. And then all alcohol.............yada yada yada.

Anybody know the related crime statistics: Minors Tranpsorting, DUI etc. in other states (most) where this has always been allowed?

Vote NO! Same boat as Karl F. Although our store will not be affected as much as some others. We are located in a largley populated area with the nearest Super Market 4 miles away. We do have a White Hen next door though.

I was wondering how these Super Markets will handle the sales by kids under the age of 18. Most markets have kids that are under that age working the registers. Will they only make a few registers wine and food only? Another point is that if this passes then beer will be right behind it.

Against it.. NO all the way :buds:. But, I am confuse :huh: The hanaford Market in quincy sells Wine, Beer, Wine Coolers and Champaign already. What makes this new law any different?
I hate seeing these over grown store taking advantage of the neighborhood Mom and Pop store just because they can. :realmad:
I agree with everyone, they should not make it easier to get liquors...especially when it is mostly teenagers working at these markets.

Lets assume that the wine is purchased at a seperate register by an adult who is certified. Note: there are citys & towns that require employees that handle liquor including the waiters/waitresses to get certified.
If this was your primary concern and given the above assumption then would you vote yes.

Vote no, don't give kids any additional outlets to purchase alcohol than they already have. I look at it as buying from a small tackle shop as opposed to #^&#^&#^&#^&s/bass pro. You pay for the knowledge at a smaller place as opposed to a supermarket where they have no idea what they are talking about. NO all the way!

Doesn't the rest of the country sell beer/wine in grocery stores?

As long as there are older brothers and sisters in this world, kids will get their beer/wine/booze, be it Packy's or Stop and Shop.

I am voting no. It is funny stopping at the Super WalMart in Paris, ME and getting my beer, food, hunting license and my 30/06 shells on the same checkout counter tho.

NY and CT have allowed supermarkets to sell beer since I was a kid (don't ask how long ago that was) and they never had the problems that you guys are citing.

NY and CT have allowed supermarkets to sell beer since I was a kid (don't ask how long ago that was) and they never had the problems that you guys are citing.

Mike is right, I grew up in CT and they sold beer and wine in the grocery stores and it was just as hard to buy from them as the liq. stores. Beleive me, I tried, many times.

I am voting no purely to help the little guy.

I have no stake in this but do know a little bit about the industry. I like the idea but am not willing to take all the potential issues just for a little convenience. The cost of wine/beer would not be significantly altered as the distributors would still control the cost of the product. The profits would just go to the big box store and eventually lead to a shrinking of the competitive marketplace. In addition the law will allow companies to own more than 3 stores selling wine but still keep the restriction in place for liquor stores. Grocery stores can sell beer/wine now but have to limit it to only 3 stores in the state. This is the real crux of the bill.

Would it really be that much more convenient? As it is the number of cashiers at a supermarket (or HDepot etc.) have been reduced, giving rise to the self-checkout (what an f-ing joke that is!). You would still need to go to an area set aside for liquor, and then wait for a cashier to pay. I go to my local liquor store and am in and out in a few minutes. It also mirrors fishing shops, I go to the local shop because of the service and knowledge. I go to #^&#^&#^&#^&s/etc in the off chance they have something I can't get elsewhere but know not to ask for advice. I don't think I will find anyone at the grocery store to explain the difference between Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio.

I don't think the tact of saying these stores will not have intelligent enough cashiers works. While there is some validity to it, if a grocery store is shutdown for a day or more due to underage selling it will hit them more than a liquor store. It would be more prudent for them to train their people as they have more to lose.

I don't believe that it will lead to a higher incident of drunkenness (liquor stores sell kegs) or drunk driving. It is a bit disingenuous given the number of establishments that sell alcohol now. Growing up in Arlington (a dry town) there was a liquor store over the line for 3 of the 4 bordering towns. People still got caught drinking and driving.

we have enough liquor stores and tourists here on the cape..we don't need anymore of either.

Falmouth and Mashpee have loads of convience stores that sell booze (beer and wine) already. Is this so "super stores"ike Shaws and Stop and Shop can too? In Avon at BJ's you can buy liquor so I am confused.

Wasn't thier a restriction on the number of licenses per 1000 people in any town? So would this new law just remove the restriction so any store can stock wine?

NO.......

To summarize my post here is the biggest issue:

Current law states that no one person/company may own more than three licenses to sell liquor. You will see some select stores sell it, such as the S&S in Malden which sells beer and wine, but not all stores. This is also why there are not more than three Martignettis/Atlas/etc liquor stores.
New law would allow an unlimited number of licenses for wine sales to be owned by one person/company. It would not change for the sale of beer or liquor, but that would be an easier to change and may not need a vote by citizens (not sure on that point).

I dont think its a very big deal...There are quite a few stores that already do it...

I cant vote but I see the mom and pop package ( liquor store ) stores just like a bait and tackle feed the little guy . We already got beer and wine in grocery stores ( no liquor ), 8 pm closing and NO sunday sale at all . I wont go to stop and shop or any other chain for my beer . Its the local store that is hurting because of insurance and the big stores . its like when sports authority and #^&#^&#^&#^&s moved in , gone were a few of the smaller bait stores . vote no just because you might put one of your neighbors out of business or out of work .
plus voting no is the right thing to do .

Another reason why I don't see it affecting us is that not many peope are going to run to Stop&Shop for just a bottle of wine. This would include finding a parking spot, walking across the parking lot and then standing in line. We are convienent and you will be in and out.

I'm voting NO. I hate like hell to see the little guy lose out to the likes of S&S and Shaws.

Just curious...for those who seem to be looking out for the little guy...how many of you shop at Wal-Mart? :devil:

-spence

when i was growing up in the midwest we could get wine, beer and hard liquor 24/7 from grocery stores, drug stores, wally-world type stores and even gas stations.

then i cum to new england with all of its stupid bloo laws.

new englanders have major sticks up their butts about these kinda things.

you all need a stiff drink.:angel: