I Vote for Wine!

http://www.voteforwine.com/

I don't know these people, but I'm all for it. Where I'm from, even liquor is sold in the grocery!

Damn right! I'm in. We need our Trader Joe's to sell wine!!

i don't know. i very much doubt my local grocers would have anything like the selection of my corner wine and liquor place, but i'd be worried the wine store would go out of business because of the convenience factor.

anyway, TJ's should just be allowed to have another wine store next door, the way they do at union square.

Supermarkets wouldn't have the selection of good liquor stores, but large supermarket chains would likely be able to buy large quantities much cheaper. For the average non-connoisseur, this would be a good thing. If this new law passes, it'll be tough on the liquor stores, but the blue laws in NY are ridiculous. I'm used to it now after 25 years, but when I first moved here from Chicago, I was amazed that you couldn't buy hard liquor or wine in a supermarket and you couldn't buy beer in a liquor store.

I used to live in LA and they had generally good wines in the grocery stores for the non-connoisseur, wines from 3 bucks to fifty bucks. Plus Cali is wine country too. They also sold alcohol. But even the grocery stores were better, none of that ammonia smell.

For 75 years wine stores in NY have only been allowed to sell 2 products, wine and hard liquor. Owners can only have 1 license which means 1 store. They can only purchase product for their store, meaning they can't buy large quantities in order to get better prices. Now the state wants to let grocery stores sell wine. Grocery stores will be able to buy larger quantities allowing them to sell wine at a much lower price than small wine stores. Chain grocery stores will be allowed to buy liquor licenses for each store. How is this fair to the small wine store owners who have been denied this right for 75 years?

Yes, it would be convenient for people. So convenient that over 1000 small wine stores would be put out of business if this bill passes. How would you feel if you had a business that was limited like this, you followed all the rules, and the state decided they were going to change these laws? Basically giving chain stores (who are already allowed to sell beer) a huge edge over your business.

My coworkers have dedicated themselves to learning about wine in order to give customers the best recommendations possible. Since this bill came into question some of those customers said they support it. Do they expect to get that kind of knowledge from someone in a grocery store?

It's easy to say that other states sell wine in grocery stores so NY should too. But what other state has had the same regulations for 75 years as NY? Stores would go out of business, people would lose their jobs. If this bill passes my coworkers and I would have to take a pay cut to keep the store going. Please learn more about this issue before blindly supporting it because it would be convenient.

Would this bill allow wine stores to have more than one license? More licenses!

This may sound crazy, but I think any store should be able to sell whatever the hell they want to unless the item it is illegal in and of itself, like grenades.

There is a store on 5th avenue by you where you can buy grenades! They're NOT illegal are they?

Mougar wrote: This may sound crazy, but I think any store should be able to sell whatever the hell they want to unless the item it is illegal in and of itself, like grenades.

I agree! Social Darwinism! Just kidding. But I totally agree that a store should be able to sell. My old town had plenty of liquor store and grocery stores. In tough eco times, people continue to drink. Heck some even drink more!

Mamacita wrote: Would this bill allow wine stores to have more than one license? More licenses!

Nope, we'll still be limited to 1.

Whatever, it's cool. Who cares if people lose their businesses and jobs? As long as people don't have to make 2 stops on their way home. I mean, I can't wait for the chance to choose convenience over people's jobs. The economy is awesome, they'll find another job in no time.

caseopele wrote: [quote=Mamacita]Would this bill allow wine stores to have more than one license? More licenses!

Nope, we'll still be limited to 1.

Whatever, it's cool. Who cares if people lose their businesses and jobs? As long as people don't have to make 2 stops on their way home. I mean, I can't wait for the chance to choose convenience over people's jobs. The economy is awesome, they'll find another job in no time.
Wah, wah.

Wow, Mougie.

caseopele wrote: [quote=Mamacita]Would this bill allow wine stores to have more than one license? More licenses!

Nope, we'll still be limited to 1.

Whatever, it's cool. Who cares if people lose their businesses and jobs? As long as people don't have to make 2 stops on their way home. I mean, I can't wait for the chance to choose convenience over people's jobs. The economy is awesome, they'll find another job in no time.

Pretty much! (little pink houses playing in the background

I doubt that most supermarkets in NYC have the space to feature an extensive wine selection. If this law passes, it will no doubt hurt some smaller liquor stores and that's too bad, but I can't imagine my crappy local Pathmark or even the nice Key Food over on 5th Avenue competing with Heights Chateau or Astor. And personally, if I want to pick up one or two bottles of wine (or one or two of any item), I'd rather do it at a small store and not be bothered with long supermarket lines.

In North Carolina the supermarkets are huuuuuuuuuuuge and sell tons of wine, but most of it is pretty crappy. In France the supermarkets sell amaaaaaazine wine. But they still have wine stores that do well too. Maybe the problem is we don't drink enough wine to sustain the small stores as well as have the supermarkets sell it.

scarlett wrote: In North Carolina the supermarkets are huuuuuuuuuuuge and sell tons of wine, but most of it is pretty crappy. In France the supermarkets sell amaaaaaazine wine. But they still have wine stores that do well too. Maybe the problem is we don't drink enough wine to sustain the small stores as well as have the supermarkets sell it.

I don't think the supermarkets will be selling to the same market as the wine stores. The supermarkets will sell a lot of Yellowtail and crap like that, but I don't think people who are looking for better wines will get them at the supermarket.

Caseopele, you know more about the business than me. Do those very cheap wines make up a major part of a typical small wine store's profit?

In general, I'm for removing as many of those ridiculous blue law restrictions as possible. I thought it was great when they started allowing wine/liquor stores to be open on Sunday, which I bet was a boon to profits. I agree that they should remove the rest of the restrictions so that wine/liquor stores will be on equal ground in competing against supermarkets and groceries. For our neighborhood with no 24-hour liquor stores, I think the best thing this will bring is 24-hour availability. Otherwise I don't see myself buying wine in the supermarket.

Mougar wrote: [quote=caseopele][quote=Mamacita]Would this bill allow wine stores to have more than one license? More licenses!

Nope, we'll still be limited to 1.

Whatever, it's cool. Who cares if people lose their businesses and jobs? As long as people don't have to make 2 stops on their way home. I mean, I can't wait for the chance to choose convenience over people's jobs. The economy is awesome, they'll find another job in no time.
Wah, wah.

harsh, Mougar! I don't know what you do for a living, but if you come here and tell us one day you've been pushed out of your job, don't expect much sympathy

Flexichick wrote: [quote=Mougar][quote=caseopele][quote=Mamacita]Would this bill allow wine stores to have more than one license? More licenses!

Nope, we'll still be limited to 1.

Whatever, it's cool. Who cares if people lose their businesses and jobs? As long as people don't have to make 2 stops on their way home. I mean, I can't wait for the chance to choose convenience over people's jobs. The economy is awesome, they'll find another job in no time.
Wah, wah.

harsh, Mougar! I don't know what you do for a living, but if you come here and tell us one day you've been pushed out of your job, don't expect much sympathy
I don't think for-profit businesses should be subsidized by the government, period. Whether it is just outright giving money to banks, or using taxes and regulations to product protect the farming industry, it is all basically the same thing.

To be clear, I would never buy wine at a grocery store over a good local wine shop. But I don't really see why the government should be making that decision for us.

As for this particular law, I'm against it unless it is also tied to removing restrictions on wine stores that prevent them from having multiple locations, selling cheeses and meats, etc ...

And yes, it was harsh. I'm sorry caseo, I projected my pissiness at guvment onto you.

Edit: Fixed product / protect typo.

that's better!

The classic "bigger is better" (as demonstrated by Walmart's low prices and extended hours)

VS.

The classic "small stores are better for us all" (as demonstrated by the superior wages and service often provided by local stores)

discussion.

Should government side with the potential economic benefits received by the consumer (wine at a supermarket might be cheaper because it exists in a facility in which the cashier is never idle), or attempt to create a setting in which a restrictive permission (aka license) gives a store the ability to charge higher prices for a good?

No one actually thinks the government cares about whether we have quality wine, right? ....if they did, they would have bannned Gallo long ago.

So, free market (it is easy to get licenses) vs restrictions on lics that have goals such employment, wages etc.

....me, I go to Trader Joe's in Union Square. Those local places are too expensive. ...and I'm not picky.

whynot please don't bring three buck chuck to my house. Ever. Thanks

lots of wine at TJ's besides $3 chuck.

...good wine starts around $7, as opposed to $10 at small stores.

(why do I fear I will soon be questioned about my definition of "good wine" by Flexi and Voodoo? )

...your honor, can I plead "no contest" before being charged?

whynot_31 wrote: ...good wine starts around $7

And the Reserve at about $9.50?

my girlfriend works for a governmental nonprofit in our nation's capitol and makes no money so always buys three buck chuck. When I went to visit she upgraded to the 7 dollar shit. Still nasty. Bring on the Sancerre! Pass the Chateuneuf! Mmm St. Emillion.

VD goes to TJ's?

No he doesn't. He goes to Astor.

scarlett wrote: my girlfriend works for a governmental nonprofit in our nation's capitol and makes no money so always buys three buck chuck. When I went to visit she upgraded to the 7 dollar shit. Still nasty. Bring on the Sancerre! Pass the Chateuneuf! Mmm St. Emillion.

but what would your friend do without TJ's? ...would she drink less? ...or just switch to pavlov vodka?

Less talk, more wine!!
I need to visit Caseo soon! They have very tasty wine. I'm dragging Mougar and Voodoo there.

Do the cats drink wine?

whynot_31 wrote: Do the cats drink wine?