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The past week the Buffalo News(10/18/2014) has questioned the Wegman family and its ownership of liquor stores in close proximity to their food stores. " Six stores and counting as officials of New York State turn a blind eye to family members in name only being owners" states Dan Locche a Kenmore operator. New York State prohibits chain liquor stores. "They lease space from Wegmans"????????? They own these stores individually but many are corporate officers also at Wegmans. Ask one of the employees of these stores if they are Wegmans and they will say no but who owns the store in name?
I don't see why anyone without a financial interest in it would support the NYS law existing in the first place.
They appear to have found a workable loophole to get around the stupidity, good for them. I'm sure they had lawyers go over the details carefully before opening.
I think it's only fair that the Democrat and Chronicle retaliate by going after Buffalo for receiving a billion dollars in taxpayer money to make them a better city, but still being a complete $hithole.
They're building another one here in Rochester (their home base), and it is a way to get around the ridiculous "no liquor's to be sold in grocery stores" rule. Albany is caving to the small, independent liquor stores while ignoring not only convenience to shoppers who might want to buy a dang bottle of wine at Wegmans (or elsewhere) along with their meal fixins but also ignoring the considerable contribution to NY's coffers that additional licensing would bring.
I say good for them, except that they probably won't be carrying the banner for changing that stupid law now.
Wegmans has done so much for Central & Western NY and the NYCity dealers control Albany and we the consumer has to pay the price. Yes, some small operators will be hurt or forced to go out of business but this is prime example upstate vs downstate lobby.
It's time to end the state sanctioned monopoly and allow liquor and wine sales in grocery stores. Moving here from a state that does allow it, I can't see any benefit to prevent it. It is so much more convenient to pick up all your groceries in one shop.
As for supporting the smaller state monopoly liquor stores, let them compete on their own merits. While I would pick up wine and liquor at Safeway, my local wine store also got my business. Not because I was forced to, but because they offer personalized service and speciality wines that Safeway doesn't.
They also need to end the Sunday noon law which kowtows to the religious community.
Politics is corrupt. Otherwise, they would be listening to the majority of their constituents that want this enacted.
NY is soooooo backwards with alcohol laws. There are plenty of liquor stores in the South and wine is sold in grocery stores. Kroger even sells bottles that are hundreds of dollars. They also sell local/regional/state wines. The wineries don't seem to have an issue. Never stopped from hitting up a few vineyards in NC. I couldn't buy all of the wines in a grocery store nor would I want to. Going to Richard Childress Vineyard is a heck of better experience - even if just for the view - than hanging out in a grocery store!
It's time to end the state sanctioned monopoly and allow liquor and wine sales in grocery stores. Moving here from a state that does allow it, I can't see any benefit to prevent it. It is so much more convenient to pick up all your groceries in one shop.
As for supporting the smaller state monopoly liquor stores, let them compete on their own merits. While I would pick up wine and liquor at Safeway, my local wine store also got my business. Not because I was forced to, but because they offer personalized service and speciality wines that Safeway doesn't.
They also need to end the Sunday noon law which kowtows to the religious community.
Politics is corrupt. Otherwise, they would be listening to the majority of their constituents that want this enacted.
What does that mean? There is NO monopoly - there can't be with individual ownership. No stores are operated by the state. There was a time that Macy's had a liquor store in their NYC store with private label brands; I don't think it exists any longer. But even Macy's was restricted to a single store. Individual stores pay their employees better than a chain would and, like you said, provide better service. This is a story of not broke, don't fix it, regardless of what some Safeway shopping Johnny-come-lately may think.
What does that mean? There is NO monopoly - there can't be with individual ownership. No stores are operated by the state. There was a time that Macy's had a liquor store in their NYC store with private label brands; I don't think it exists any longer. But even Macy's was restricted to a single store. Individual stores pay their employees better than a chain would and, like you said, provide better service. This is a story of not broke, don't fix it, regardless of what some Safeway shopping Johnny-come-lately may think.
There is no justification for banning chains and it's a ridiculous law. As you note, Safeway can build as many stores as they want, why should independent liquor stores get special protections?
If grocery stores can sell wine and liquor, then liquor stores should be able to sell cheese, pepperoni, crackers and other foods and merchandise usually purchased with wines and liquors. I would support the small liquor store owner over the big chain supermarket by buying my wine and snacks from him, not Wegman's. This way, everybody wins, and we don't need government to regulate us further.
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