Wine in Supermarkets, Part Deux! What say you New Yawk?

Well, the proposal is back in NY, introduced by a state assemblyman that appears to answer any “concerns” that liquor store owners in NY had earlier this year.

As many know, I was very vocal on this issue back then and I am now…what a waste of money to fight something so pro consumer and so sensible.

Any dissenters that want to go toe to toe?

Anyone in agreement?

Anyone want to me to get banned?

Dan,

I’m not really interested in going “toe to toe” but as someone who is employed by a store that is next to a supermarket I don’t really see how you can say that this proposal is favorable to me.

As an employee, not an owner, I don’t have input as to our business model and wine in the supermarket next door would definitely not help us.

As an individual, I’m not necessarily opposed to this bill because it does level the playing field and allow sales of other products currently prohibited. But some owners would really have to wake up and make some changes in order to stay in business.

a similar bill was jsut introduced in delaware. according to the articles DE is one of only 5 states in our union that do not currently allow grocery stores to sell any alcohol. Working for a distributor I cannot say that I’m in favor of this, it will cost us a lot of money changing the current business model. It may work better for the consumer as it will offer them improved customer service will save time (from stopping multiple places to purchase what they need). Not sure how NY’s bill is different from ours but I can say that I’m positive our company will fervently fight to avoid this bill becoming law…

I’m a consumer.
I like ‘consumer friendly’ rules.
We’re all consumers, in the end.
Even employees of wine shops are consumers of groceries, gas, etc.
I’d love wine to be allowed to be sold by supermarkets.
I doubt I’d buy much, but I’d like the option.
I’d love ‘high end appetizers’ to be able to be sold by wine shops.
That, I’d use.
Buy wine, some great salami, some olives, some great cheese.
Good for everyone…

Now you got a blog too? You seriously need to get a life!

Had a blog, just never posted on it twitter boy!

Brent,

Besides more competition, which puts some (not most) stores of being in danger financially, what is the problem with the bill, as it is written today?

FYI, I am next to one of the LARGEST Stop n Shops in the area. The place is enormous.

Ultimately, I hope that the owners of your store feel that the consumer ought to be able to decide who is successful in this business, not the liquor store owners.

Hey, at least I only use it once a day for new offers, not every time I scratch my nuts.

Technology is fun and useful but not when it takes over one’s life with the need to report every second of the day to the world at large.

And…DEATH TO WINE IN THE SUPERMARKETS…

Simple. It doesn’t benefit our model and would require change on our part. Not that I personally wouldn’t embrace that change. Just that there’s no motivation on my part to shake up the status quo.

Your business model is different. It should have little or no effect on you.

Once again, as an individual I don’t see any problems with the bill. But if its passing is going to endanger my job I don’t have any incentive to support it.

Maybe you can hire me and I will do all the deliveries to the MA customers who can’t have wine shipped to them??? I’m sure Zach, PMC, Tyler and a few others would appreciate it…

Wine (and beer/liquor) are available in supermarkets in California. Wine and beer are in supermarkets in Oregon. There is no shortage of fine wine shops in either place so, I while I recognize I might feel differently if I owned a wine shop in NY, my experience tells me that most of the wine sold in supermarkets is “pallet wine” and that there will remain a market for shops that have classified Bordeaux, Burgundy and other high-end wines if the NY law changes to allow wine in supermarkets.

Bob,

Read here…http://www.nyslsa.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=21

Basically all of the proposed changes in the bill would make NY like MA in terms of the laws. I loved working in MA at Marty’s, a store that had a great gourmet food dept., great wine & beer depts., sold soda/juice/mixers, charcoal, cigars, smokes, and anything else you could think of!

I’d be happy to be back in an environment like that. But some store owners have the pols in their pocket and like the status quo. Why give up a monopoly?

Once again, I personally am not against this, but with all the other momentum against it and the potential threat to my paycheck I just can’t see any logical motivation to support it.

Brent

I hear ya loud and clear. I think that many stores that would be affected by this, still have the opportunity to adapt their business. Not every store, but many of them. I do not enjoy supporting the “glorified cashier” that owns a liquor store. Max likes to, I have better things to do.

Tweet, tweet, Max!

Here’s the video:

http://www.youtube.com/v/LRH7FtAAbJE&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0

No you don’t and that’s obvious…

Is that emoticon for you or Zuccs? Or is that your face and his hand?

Nice come-back…

Same perspective as Bob here, having been raised in a country where you could always buy wine at the supermarket (or the grocery store, or wherever). I actually do not see the problem, I assume it’s yet another one of those peculiarities that are the ghosts of the prohibition.

Generally speaking in France you seem to have 3 types of wine selling places (plus the producer of course).

a) grocery stores, supermarkets and the like - they sell the big brands first and foremost. Then they sell whatever a producer wanted to get rid of for cheap. Then they might sell a selection of random stuff for various regions (sometimes you find some gems). And they sell a few Bordeaux just after release (as well as some other stuff, they all organize a big wine fair in September). And of course a few highly priced wines just for the sake of it (most of the supermarkets in France have a bottle of Mouton and Yquem and the like in a small fridge). Having your wine sold at a supermarket is shameful for a producer.

b) basic retailers, they sell wne “en vrac” plus a nice selection of stuff.

c) fine wine retailers.

These categories basically don’t overlap, each caters to a different market segment. Supermarkets obviously tend to try to overlap a bit but generally speaking their efforts are too limited. You might find a few gems there but it’s rare these days.

I am a consumer and in favor of supermarkets selling wine…that being said I buy very little wine at supermarkets unless something really jumps out.

Let me say, I live within 1/2 mile of a supermarket, 3 wine shops and Trader Joes. 2 of the 3 wine shops seem to be thriving. The other I don’t shop at b/c I think their prices are a little high and the service isn’t great. The other 2, one focuses on under $25 wines but carries a very unique, fun, interesting selection and has a very knowledgeable staff, hosts tastings and while some of the prices are a little high I do buy from time to time. The third has mostly $10-$50 wines with some pricier wines in Burgundy and Barolo. Prices aren’t cheap but again a passionate, knowledgeable staff but interesting selections.

The supermarket is well the supermarket…big name wines like Simi, BV, Mondavi, Coppolla, and the even bigger commercial brands. Staff are basically shelf stackers so no real knowledge. Occassionally there is something worth checking out like a Gloria Ferrer Cuvee Royale Sparkling wine for $20 but for the most part nothing to buy for the semi serious to serious (or at least customer interested in something “different”).

I do occasionally buy spirits and/or beer at the supermarket though…sometimes there’s a great deal on Vodka or Lagunitas IPA that you just can’t get at the wine shops…

And I look at this way, if someone is intimidated from going into a wine shop b/c of lack of knowledge, maybe they take a flier on a couple bottles in the supermarket, find something they like. That leads them to search out some other wines, more knowledge, then finally a trip to the “wine store”…

I have the impression that beer and supermarket type wines are a nice profit center for wine / liquor stores in states that ban supermarkets from selling those items. If so, opening up supermarkets to alcohol does change the game for the shops. But I’d guess that beer is the biggest factor, and there aren’t many states that don’t let supermarkets sell beer.

-Al

To clarify, the bill would allow wine to be sold by supermarkets, bodegas, drug stores etc who already sell beer, and also open up to allow any other such store to apply for a license. Liquor will still only be sold in ‘wine & liquor stores,’ so there is still that one draw for wine & liquor stores that the supermarkets won’t have.

Tony, Guillaume,

I’m sure that NY would adapt to the change if the bill is passed and the landscape would end up similar to what you both have described. In the process however, quite a few “bad operators” will go down. These are are also the people who are funding the lobbying groups like the NYSLSA in order to protect their interests. Even some good operators might have trouble transitioning in a bad economy if all of the sudden they have to think about investing $20K+ for a deli counter and a gourmet food section, buying an ice machine to sell ice, etc etc. to offset wine sales losses to the supermarkets.

For well established fine wine shops the changes would mostly be a mere hiccup and if anything would open the doors to sell items with even greater profit margins than wine. For a small operator it could mean the end of their business.

Al,
Actually wine is by far the most profitable of the alcohol categories. Champagne slightly less so than still wine in general. Beer and liquor are much lower margin products.

Brent - I think i understand the situation and agree that well run wine shops will continue to do well, some will struggle and some will close their doors. But I still think in the long run the well run shops should do even better as more people are exposed to wine through the supermarket brands.

Question: are wine shops allowed to sell beer/spirits?

I know Wine Exchange in Orange sells beer (mostly micro/import) and some spirits from Capt Morgan to Artisan rums and other high end liqueurs but have not idea what percentage of their sales come from those items. They seem to do well b/c of selection, price, staff.

And again, my experience growing up in CA with supermarkets selling beer, wine and spirits; wine shops selling the same (with and without deli counters) and specialty markets like Whole Foods (although now probably supermarket category) and Trader Joes, new wine shops are/have been opening. Some make it, some don’t but I don’t think that is the function of the supermarket.