(ON) UPDATE - Buy beer & wine in more grocery storesinner. Before Christmas.

[Shwa Girl]

Update: The Ontario government is giving more licenses for wine shops in supermarkets, in 2017 and 2019. So the Liquor Control Board of Ontario will have less of a monopoly where wine is permitted to be sold.

Beer:
The list of stores where beer will be sold has been released. The Ontario government has released the names of the first group of stores chosen:

Coppa's Fresh Market
Farm Boy 2012 Inc.
Galleria Supermarket
Hanahreuem Mart Inc.
J & B La Mantia Ltd. (La Mantia's Country Market)
Loblaws Inc.
Longo Brothers Fruit Market Inc.
Metro Ontario Inc.
Michael-Angelos Market Place Inc.
Pino's Get Fresh
Sobeys Capital Incorporated
Starsky Fine Foods Hamilton Inc.
Wal-Mart Canada Corp

[Ciel]

This will be interesting. The Hamilton Starskys store is across the road from the Freshco (formerly Sobeys last year) and within three blocks from the big box Beer Store at Eastgate Square on the same side of Queenston Road East.
Maybe Starskys will stock Eastern European brews for sale?

[Shwa Girl]

This will be interesting. The Hamilton Starskys store is across the road from the Freshco (formerly Sobeys last year) and within three blocks from the big box Beer Store at Eastgate Square on the same side of Queenston Road East.
Maybe Starskys will stock Eastern European brews for sale?

Yes, it’s going to be interesting, indeed.
Like the wine shops in some supermarkets, there are restrictions on when they can open and close. So some holidays when the grocery store is open, the in store beer store will be closed. Some grocery stores open until 11 PM and some open 24 hours. The beer store may be closed when the grocery store is open late at night.

[lecale]

This will be interesting. The Hamilton Starskys store is across the road from the Freshco (formerly Sobeys last year) and within three blocks from the big box Beer Store at Eastgate Square on the same side of Queenston Road East.
Maybe Starskys will stock Eastern European brews for sale?

I think they are only allowing beer sales in locations that are at least x km away from a Beer Store/LCBO. Sounds like the Hamilton location wouldn't be participating based on that.

[Ciel]

@lecale -there'd be no point for Starskys to chase the beer store option if the Hamilton store was not able to sell. It's the only location in the city. Starsky's other location is in Mississauga, which is HQ for the brand. Hence the reference to E. European brews. Like the LCBO, only some locations carry the Polish cherry liquor-like Centre Mall's store.
@Shwa Girl -I've noticed that Wine Shop stores are open 10-10 in grocery stores; wine sampling begins at 11am. So yes, you make a good point about beer sales-likely having to end when the area beer or LCBO stores close (9pm or 10pm).

[Shwa Girl]

I think they are only allowing beer sales in locations that are at least x km away from a Beer Store/LCBO. Sounds like the Hamilton location wouldn't be participating based on that.

I could be wrong but I thought that having sufficient insurance to show to the government was one of the big criteria for getting a beer store in a grocery store.

I have seen grocery stores with wine stores inside, within walking distance of an LCBO.

[beachdown]

I am guessing this is great news for drinkers....will be interesting to see what comes out of this, especially at Walmart

[lecale]

This is where I read it...the original proposal calls for grocery stores at least 1/2 km away from an LCBO so that's pretty close after all.

The grocery store must not already include a winery retail store, such as a Wine Rack or other Ontario winery outlet. And the host grocery store must not be within a half-kilometer of an existing LCBO outlet, the proposal states.

They are also servicing certain test markets before others

The LCBO is first setting its sights on seven target communities identified as having liquor store “service gaps,” including Toronto East, Toronto West, Mississauga, Ottawa, Virgil, Thorold and London.

http://www.thestar.com/business/2014...ermarkets.html

[macw1960]

What next? DH will still be going to the LCBO for his beer which is within walking distance.

[ticul]

Thank you for the info. Very interesting...................................

[dededi]

This isn't good for the beer stores, maybe they will finally improve their service. Hubby rants about them all of the time.

[lecale]

This isn't good for the beer stores, maybe they will finally improve their service. Hubby rants about them all of the time.

They just built a new one here and it is a walk-in cooler style with a drive-thru...and it doesn't stink like stale beer either!!!

[Ciel]

Sobeys Ancaster has a Wine Shop-it must be just over 1/2 km away from the LCBO store. However, Meadowlands does not have a Beer Store-you'd have to travel west to the older grocery plaza district in Ancaster or go east to Westcliffe Mall to return empties.
I really think LCBO and Beer Stores should be paired because otherwise the returns function adds another trip/travel time to the process.

Ed Clark promised beer in stores after Christmas but if grocery stores get their licences approved (I'm sure some locations will hear from residents) before December is half-over, there will be lots of Kraft Dinner and beer being purchased. Pizzas too.

[Shwa Girl]

Ed Clark promised beer in stores after Christmas but if grocery stores get their licences approved (I'm sure some locations will hear from residents) before December is half-over, there will be lots of Kraft Dinner and beer being purchased. Pizzas too.

Premier Kathleen Wynne will be at Loblaws today for the beer. Six packs will be on sale.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toront...beer-1.3365082

[Shwa Girl]

Sobeys Ancaster has a Wine Shop-it must be just over 1/2 km away from the LCBO store. However, Meadowlands does not have a Beer Store-you'd have to travel west to the older grocery plaza district in Ancaster or go east to Westcliffe Mall to return empties.
I really think LCBO and Beer Stores should be paired because otherwise the returns function adds another trip/travel time to the process.

Ed Clark promised beer in stores after Christmas but if grocery stores get their licences approved (I'm sure some locations will hear from residents) before December is half-over, there will be lots of Kraft Dinner and beer being purchased. Pizzas too.

Yes, Sobeys in Ancaster will be getting beer.
Here's the list of the first stores

https://www.ontario.ca/page/beer-sales-grocery-stores