Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
In a bar you can only buy beer for takeout and I think only 2 six-packs at a time. You have to take them out to your car and go back in or have friends with you if you want more. Last call at bars is 2:00 A.M.
You can also buy beer by the case (24 cans) from a beer distributer.
In PA liquor is only sold by the state govt. in "State Stores" now known as "Wine and Spirits" shops. They are typically open from 9 - 9, some are open until 10 and a few are open on Sunday from noon - 5. There are a very few small food markets that can sell beer. I think they were selling it before the laws changed long ago.
There has been talk from time to time about the state turning the alcohol concession over to private enterprise but it never gets very far. More recently it appears supermarkets, etc., will be getting approved soon to sell beer and maybe wine.
In a bar you can only buy beer for takeout and I think only 2 six-packs at a time. You have to take them out to your car and go back in or have friends with you if you want more. Last call at bars is 2:00 A.M.
A dry town borders an eastern side of Pittsburgh. There aren't any bars or clubs, but it has a State Store however.
So it is wrong and immoral and bad business for you to sell it but it is ok for the state government to sell it? No logical fallacies there!
I'd say Utah although North Dakota is pretty strict. You can't buy any alcohol anywhere besides liquor stores and no alcohol sales before noon on Sundays. And that was only allowed recently.
I'm in Ohio where the liquor laws are pretty relaxed, you can buy liquor in the grocery now, back in the day we did have state run liquor stores but that is gone now. Back in the day, when we went over to PA, we were surprised that we couldn't even buy beer in a grocery store, had to buy it from a distributor and then - only by the case. So us college kids go over to PA for camping and general hell raising - and instead of buying 6-packs the state is forcing us to buy cases of beer. Love it when the laws back fire. I remember trying to get back to Ohio with a half a case of Straub and trying to figure out what I'm going to do with all the leftovers.
I'd say Utah although North Dakota is pretty strict. You can't buy any alcohol anywhere besides liquor stores and no alcohol sales before noon on Sundays. And that was only allowed recently.
The same in Minnesota. Just recently, this past year, liquor stores are open 12-5 on Sundays, 10-8 Mondays Thursday & 10-10 Friday & Saturday. No alcohol in stores.
I was really surprised to see liquor in grocery stores when I came to Arizona.
PA's laws have changed, they now can sell beer and wine in grocery stores, but there are rules (of course). lots of rules.
It has gotten much better in even the last 6 months, now beer and wine are sold in more than a feew grocery stores
PA has really weird and quirky liquor laws though stemming back to its original quaker roots
That said the largest driver was the State run distribution system which generates tons of income for the state and is very closely controlled.
PA is the largest wine and liquor purchaser in the world, then resells
If you order wine from a winery in CA, it technically must be delivered to a PA Liquor store and picked up there (there are ways around but some of the larger sellers even in Napa may refuse to even to sell when they find out you live in PA. And they will impose their tax too
All restaurants also must pick up their wine and liquor from the physical stores
Its also why there are so many BYOBs as even the license to sel alcohol in PA is very closely monitored and expensive, so the BYOBs actually can great food with a cheaper bottle which has its benefits
One last thing, as PA is the largest single purchaser actually can get great prices on more expensive wines and are the only bargains in the state
But since allowing the sale of wine and beer in grocery stores 2 years ago, and more grocery stores offering this service, I find it to overall be quite lax and not a major inconvenience.
Corner stores/small markets/deli's etc. have been selling beer in PA for decades, so it is quite easy to buy beer ANYWHERE.
There are a few dry towns in PA, but very very very few. NJ has more dry towns IMO.
One state I think actually would affect my 'weekly' enjoyment more and is no fun is Massachusetts.
Happy Hour is illegal in Mass. Mass prohibits the sale of discounted alcohol. So IMHO Mass laws affect me WAY more than PA laws ever have.
Happy Hour is alive and well in PA. And I know for Philadelphia, quite a thing.
My local wine and spirits store is open Sunday from 11am - 7pm. (again I find the hours to be fine).
And if I want beer on Sunday I can buy it until 2am from my local deli/corner store.
For example PA laws are easy now:
Thanksgiving day I drove 10 minutes to Wegmans and picked up wine before heading over to my families to celebrate. Pretty easy, and not really anything to stress about.
Most strict law in the USA is Utah by far.
Having an open bar area is now illegal in Utah. lol
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
