Trader Joes coming to Colorado Springs (Denver: buying, tax, living in)

[Miss Hepburn]

Thanks for the report Captain!
What exit do you get off?
Any advice on directions from I-25?
I know it has to be easy but I don't know Denver very well.

[otterprods]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

I'll save everybody the trouble. Here is the relevant part.

12-47-407. Retail liquor store license. (4) It is unlawful for any owner, part owner, shareholder, or person interested directly or indirectly in a retail liquor store to conduct, own either in whole or in part, or be directly or indirectly interested in any other business licensed pursuant to this article; except that such a person may have an interest in an arts license or an airline public transportation system license granted under this article, or in a financial institution referred to in section 12-47-308 (4).

TJ's as the owner of a liquor store in Denver, can't own either in whole or in part, or be directly or indirectly interested in any other liquor store in Colorado.

Dangit! I was on page 56 and everything… It was riveting!

I hope I made it clear that I never really doubted its existence, but it's nice to be able to read it 1st hand and see what it actually says. Interesting that they thought to add the term 'indirectly' because I had been wondering if they could maybe just open let different stores with different names open adjacent to each location and then just happen to distribute TJ wines to them… But that would definitely be indirect interest (if not direct).

[captain_hug99]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Thanks for the report Captain!
What exit do you get off?
Any advice on directions from I-25?
I know it has to be easy but I don't know Denver very well.

I took exit 204, Colorado BLVD and just took a right off the exit. This road has high traffic and was just frustrating to drive. It was about 15 minutes down the road.

[lurtsman]

It's an unfortunate law.

It is designed to increase prices.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by lurtsman

It's an unfortunate law.

It is designed to increase prices.

No, it is designed to protect small business and competition. Monopolies do not bring lower prices. If you think they do, I hope you enjoy your cable TV service with it's super low prices.


Liquor stores: small-retail model - Colorado Springs Business Journal | Colorado Springs Business Journal

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

No, it is designed to protect small business and competition. ....

True.

It's been 30 years since I was in Germany, but they had laws there to protect the mom and pop retailers from the huge chains. These laws took the effect of having ALL retailers close at 6PM and all day Sunday. Only on one Sunday a month could retailers be open, and on the other Sundays a lot of people just walked around window shopping. It helped to level the playing field and preserved the ability of tens of thousands of people, couples and families to be small business owners rather than wage slaves for big chains like we have here.

Still, I think Colorado's liquor laws are going to change within a few years to allow chains to sell at least full strength beer and wine, and I suspect there may be a compromise that anything over 18% alcohol may be reserved for existing liquor stores. Back in Virginia we had beer/wine in every supermarket and most convenience stores, but hard liquor was reserved for state-run liquor outlets only (yes, an antiquated law). What I see at my King Soopers is an entire aisle of refrigerated cases holding single bottles of soda pop, and IMO those chill cases are there for when the law does get changed and in a week they'll be full of real beer.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

True.

It's been 30 years since I was in Germany, but they had laws there to protect the mom and pop retailers from the huge chains. These laws took the effect of having ALL retailers close at 6PM and all day Sunday. Only on one Sunday a month could retailers be open, and on the other Sundays a lot of people just walked around window shopping. It helped to level the playing field and preserved the ability of tens of thousands of people, couples and families to be small business owners rather than wage slaves for big chains like we have here.

Still, I think Colorado's liquor laws are going to change within a few years to allow chains to sell at least full strength beer and wine, and I suspect there may be a compromise that anything over 18% alcohol may be reserved for existing liquor stores. Back in Virginia we had beer/wine in every supermarket and most convenience stores, but hard liquor was reserved for state-run liquor outlets only (yes, an antiquated law). What I see at my King Soopers is an entire aisle of refrigerated cases holding single bottles of soda pop, and IMO those chill cases are there for when the law does get changed and in a week they'll be full of real beer.

The sad thing is that liquor stores, are one of the few businesses that "people" can still own. Once the chains take that over, there wont be anything left for individuals to own.

I still remember all hoopla over branch banking in Colorado. How Colorado had to have branch banks. Branch banking would be so great and Coloradans would have so many more banking options. Then the reality. It turned hundreds of banking options into Wells Fargo or Chase. What a wonderful choice.

[smdensbcs]

A majority of people I know, including me, are self-employed, which means they are business owners. One owns a tech company in Colorado with several hundred employees. Most are much smaller scale and provide some service or other people find useful and which they'll pay decent money. Not ONE SINGLE one of them that I'm aware of receives protectionist statutory favoritism. They compete on the open market, and they win. And yet liquor store owners are somehow this protected class in Colorado. LIQUOR STORE OWNERS? Seriously? Liquor store owners need special help the rest of us don't get? And we're on this board waxing eloquent about how important it is to protect ... wait for it ... liquor store owners? What's next ... we're all gonna go fight for govt subsidies for cigarette shops, strip clubs, casinos, pawn shops, and check-cashing loan shark storefronts? Liquor stores? Really?

[lurtsman]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

No, it is designed to protect small business and competition. Monopolies do not bring lower prices. If you think they do, I hope you enjoy your cable TV service with it's super low prices.


Liquor stores: small-retail model - Colorado Springs Business Journal | Colorado Springs Business Journal

I think we'll have to disagree based on the quality of our respective educations.

If you knew even the smallest bit about me, you'd know I have never purchased cable TV because I'm neither a sucker for wasting money, nor have enough time in my life to waste on something as pointless as watching cable TV.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by smdensbcs

A majority of people I know, including me, are self-employed, which means they are business owners. One owns a tech company in Colorado with several hundred employees. Most are much smaller scale and provide some service or other people find useful and which they'll pay decent money. Not ONE SINGLE one of them that I'm aware of receives protectionist statutory favoritism. They compete on the open market, and they win. And yet liquor store owners are somehow this protected class in Colorado. LIQUOR STORE OWNERS? Seriously? Liquor store owners need special help the rest of us don't get? And we're on this board waxing eloquent about how important it is to protect ... wait for it ... liquor store owners? What's next ... we're all gonna go fight for govt subsidies for cigarette shops, strip clubs, casinos, pawn shops, and check-cashing loan shark storefronts? Liquor stores? Really?

I hear ya, and you are right. Since we never protected all the mom and pop stores who got rolled up by a laundry list of big box retailers (books, hardware, office supplies, sporting goods, appliances, electronics, etc) there's no real basis for COLO to protect liquor stores. The days of small local retailers of goods and services who provide personal care is long gone now; it's a mixed bag of benefits and losses but it is what it is.

I'll patronize TJs when they come here, alcohol or not, as they offer some cool items at nice prices and help to keep the marketplace competitive.