Question #1 BS..

C-pher

C-pher

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Who cares? I'm not really sure what the hoopla on Question 1 is all about...

I mean, I see Groceries all the time selling BEER and wine. And Question 1 ONLY let's them sell wine. But so what? This is dependant on if the TOWN will let the grocery sell it. If they would, wouldn't the store just get a liquor license?

I'm voting against this because it means nothing. If it were going to mean that they WOULD no matter what sell beer AND wine, I might think about it. But this one makes no sense to me.

I've been to plenty of Shaw's and Stop and Shop's that have beer, liquor and wine in them. So what does this law serve that's not already out there??

And, what's going to constitute a "Grocery?" Does Cumby's or Lil Peach mean Grocery in this bill as well?

That's something that I can't find an answer for...
 
I do believe the law as it stands right now, only 3 stores per chain can apply for a liquor license. That's how it's been explained to me.

Seeing as Proposition 1 is just for wine I can't imagine it's going to make a huge impact on local liquor stores because honestly, you still need beer and liquor.

Though I keep seeing ads saying it's for convenience stores, too and that we have to worry about "the children." How many underage kids are going to start buying Chiraz or a fine Cabernet? [rolleyes] They'll want MD 20/20 or Night Train, which won't be a huge loss of revenue for the liquor shops, anyway. And if you get caught selling to minors you'd lose your license. Again, I may be missing something, but I don't see how it's going to be THAT bad for the liquor guys...
 
Money + Lobbyists = Squeaky Wheels.

The issue is that liquor store owners are worried that someone like Big Y or Stop and Shop has more money and buying power than they do, and can buy a huge volume from a distributor at a great price and undercut the little liquor store owner's retail price and put them out of business.

Margins are reasonably tight as it is. Wine is one of the larger percentages of the liquor store retail business, and supermarkets will take away the business of all of their best sellers (ie the wines in the sub $20/bottle range).
 
I can sware that I've been to more than 3 Stop and Shops with a wine, liquor, beer section.

And I know if three Cumby's in my area alone that sell beer. So I'm not sure how all this works in...

I just want to make sure that I'm not just going to vote no off the cuff...

I still don't see what new thing it does.


I do agree with Thor67 that the markups for liquor isn't that great and there really isn't going to be much of an underselling for the 20+ dollar bottles of wine.

I do think that they could get a better selections than the local smaller packies.

I know that the S&S behind my work has one of the nicest wine selections that I've seen in any packy. Well, other than the large ones like Liquor World out in South Attleboro.
 
At first, I thought "No" on this question. Too many grocery stores (big ones like Stop and Shop) in our region don't do very well at handling groceries to begin with - when they get the "groceries" part of it right, maybe then they can have a shot at selling wine. Then I found out the local muslims are really against question 1; so now I'm undecided.
 
If a grocery store can sell tobacco why can't they sell alcohol?

Can someone give me a real ligitimate reason to vote no on #1?
 
The State allows a convenience store to be called a grocery if it carries fresh produce. That is why you are seeing small stores now carrying lettuce that looks 3 months old and brown limes!
 
i see no reason to vote no to begin with.
what the hell it's not going to effect the package stores that much as i see it.
like derek said god forbid we have competition and convenice.
 
Moderator: Welcome to tonight's Question 1 debate. Each side wil have 30 seconds to explain their position. We'll start with you, Mr. Yes.

Mr. Yes: This bill would provide several benefits - more consumer choice, free-market competition, and it would begin the process of reforming the state's archaic liquor licensing laws, taking that regualtory power away from the government and clearing the way for Commonwealth's business owners to be treated like responsible adults, instead of hapless, infantile wards of the State.

Moderator: Thank you, Mr. Yes. And now to you, Mr. No.

Mr. No: THE STREETS WILL RUN RED WITH THE BLOOD OF OUR YOUNG!!!
 
Package stores are fewer and further apart that grovery stores. I don't want to take the chance that we'll have more DUIs and people drive further and further to find an open package store, instead of driving or, hopefully, walking to their local supermarket. Defeat of question 1 means more DUIs as people continud to driver further to get to the liquor stores. Question 1 needs to be passed - it's for the children.
 
That's what kills me Rob. I heard a commercial against Question #1 citing more drunk drivers... This state is nuts...
 
Why in the hell should the government even regulate who can or cannot sell liquor?

f*** all blue laws.
 
How can anyone who visits here regularly support the right of the government to tell stores what legal products they can and can not sell? Is it really any different than Tom Reilly telling gun stores what otherwise legally available guns they can and can not sell? Is it? If you feel that way please explain to me how you can oppose the latter yet support the former.

With regard to the question at hand, a good place to start would be here: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepip/pipa.htm where you can read the actual text of the question, as opposed to the lies that the liquor monopoly is telling you.

Along those lines, I think you can tell a lot about a ballot question by looking at which side feels compelled to lie to support their position. If you've been watching TV lately you know that the liquor monopoly claims that Question 1 will allow convenience stores to sell "alcohol." Not wine, ALCOHOL. We all know that's intended to scare people - "alcohol" sounds a lot more threatening than "wine" - just like the anti-gun lobby attempts to influence voters by scaring them with the term ASSAULT WEAPONS, as though they're somehow different from your granddad's Remington 742. And as to the convenience store part - you'll notice that to qualify a store must sell fresh meat, poultry, fruits and vegetables, etc. Not too many convenience stores doing that, are there?

So sure, vote against Question 1. After all, the sheeple aren't smart enough to be trusted, are they? Big brother needs to look out for them right? And while you're at it, vote for Deval Patrick, too. And Martha Coakley, and, when he comes up for re-election, fat Teddy. But don't forget to leave your 2nd Amendment rights behind too. It's all part of the same big-government philosophy, after all.
 
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There really is no downside to this question. More competition means lower prices and better selection. I'm not much of a wine drinker but the libertarian in me loves questions like this. This is Massachusetts. How often can you vote to actually remove a restriction on something? Hell, I'd even vote for it if the question was to remove a restriction against selling freeze-dried turds.

mAss Backwards said:
I do feel sorry for those of you I'm leaving behind.

Boy, I'm gonna miss this place.

NOT!
Click to expand...

Yup. You gotta love freedom. Not only can you buy beer and wine in any grocery store in NH; you're moving to a place that puts the liquor stores right on the highway... on both sides... with their own on and off ramps!
 
I am probably going to vote for #1, however...

The highest markup item in a liquor store is wine - about 50% markup ($5 cost =$7.50 retail, which is a tiny markup compared to almost all other retail operations). If the grocery chains succeed in eliminating the local liquor stores by cutting markup to nil (think about what Lowes and Home Depot did to your friendly local hardware store) there will be no incentive for them to carry much of a selection. Kind of like you can get Winchester white box ammo at WalMart, but not Federal Hydro-Shock and forget .45 long colt or anything "exotic".

I don't know about any of the rest of you here, but I have been enjoying the study of and drinking of wine as a hobby for well over 25 years. The subtleties and aromatic nuances and flavors of the many thousands of different wines from different grapes grown in different soils and in different climates provides an endless source of enjoyment, whether it is with cheese and crackers or with a good steak or piece of fish, or at a picnic by a river, or toasting the new year.

I have little confidence in a store where many of the employees cannot even identify leeks to be able to buy and offer a selection of fine wines for the discriminating palate, much less find excellent low priced wines. They will simply buy what the main office tells them to.

Bob
 
Bob I'm a firm believer that the liquor stores will be fine. I love fine cigars, grocery stores and liquor stores sell them. They don't often have high end stuff or even new stuff. It's never affected me in getting quality stuff from my local cigar shop.
 
derek said:
Bob I'm a firm believer that the liquor stores will be fine. I love fine cigars, grocery stores and liquor stores sell them. They don't often have high end stuff or even new stuff. It's never affected me in getting quality stuff from my local cigar shop.
Click to expand...

I hope you're right. It is my only concern on this ballot question.
 
Don't mistake my earlier post. I'll be voting to give supermarkets the right to sell wine. I don't think there are legitimate reasons why they were somehow legally cut out of the beer/wine business to start with. I was just posting the reason that I think all of the hoopla has come out in the press against this measure.
 
My guess is that grocery stores will carry brands like woodbridge, barringer and other well known big wine brands. I think the liquor stores will still have the "fine" wine market niche. Personally I would probably still buy my wine at my local liquore because they are more knowledgable and can offer better suggestions. I still would want the option to buy wine from my grocer because sometimes you just don't have the time to make the additional stop or are too lazy, or you just need a bottle of wine for cooking and all you care about is that it's not Holland House.

side note: the last 9 bottles of wine I bought were bought at a winery and not a liquor store.
 
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