Beer distributors fight sales by supermarkets

[jtmulc]

To quote the first paragraph in today's Post Gazette:
The Pennsylvania Malt Beverage Distributors want the state Supreme Court to review a recent lower-court ruling that allows beer to be sold in supermarkets, claiming that if the ruling stands it could lead to "beer sales almost anywhere."

And the problem here is what exactly....?  Aside from a

Comments

[blackpaladin]

> And the problem here is what exactly....? Aside from a threat to the distributors' monopoly, of course.

Methinks you just answered your own question there. :-)

[jtmulc]

Seriously. Aside from some uptight grannies (not mine, she enjoyed a good beer), is there anyone left in the state who doesn't want to follow the route taken by 48 other states and allow alcohol sales in normal retail stores? I spend a fair amount of time in WV and have yet to see the hordes of teenaged alkies roaming the streets in search of beer.

[cybrus]

Slippery slope - pretty soon liquor retailers will have to compete on price, selection, and quality! That's unreasonable! And just wait until people can order wine from small producers that HAVEN'T BEEN APPROVED BY THE STATE? OH NOES! We could have rampant choice - that's just not right!

Bonus points for the great use of the quote!

[miusheri]

I think I'll have to call or write to the state Supreme Court to ask them to uphold this ruling. There's got to be at least one judge who also dislikes having to drive halfway across town to get a friggin' case of beer when anyone else in the country can jot down to the 7-11 for a six-pack.

[marypaintscars]

I talked to a beer distributor owner about this a few years ago, and that was basically his issue. He said most distributors are family owned businesses, and allowing other places to sell beer would potentially put them out of business. I'm guessing they're a fairly powerful organization, since the distributors are still around.

[t3knomanser]

My heart bleeds for their cushy state-sponsored monopoly.

I mostly stopped drinking beer because it's so damn inconvenient in PA. Back in NYS, I could jaunt over to the grocery store and get some decent local microbrews in a six pack. It was nice.

[shelaghc]

I was raised here but lived for eight years in Illinois.

It took me almost no time to get used to buying alcohol pretty much anywhere I wanted.

And more than a year after moving back to Pittsburgh, I *still* can't get used to not being able to buy beer etc at Trader Joe's.

Damn, I miss my Trinity!