U.S. Senate
See Full Big Line
(D) J. Hickenlooper*
(R) Somebody
80%
20%
Governor
See Full Big Line
(D) Joe Neguse
(D) Phil Weiser
(D) Jena Griswold
60%
60%
40%↓
Att. General
See Full Big Line
(D) M. Dougherty
(D) Alexis King
(D) Brian Mason
40%
40%
30%
Sec. of State
See Full Big Line
(D) George Stern
(D) A. Gonzalez
(R) Sheri Davis
40%
40%
30%
State Treasurer
See Full Big Line
(D) Brianna Titone
(R) Kevin Grantham
(D) Jerry DiTullio
60%
30%
20%
CO-01 (Denver)
See Full Big Line
(D) Diana DeGette*
(R) Somebody
90%
2%
CO-02 (Boulder-ish)
See Full Big Line
(D) Joe Neguse*
(R) Somebody
90%
2%
CO-03 (West & Southern CO)
See Full Big Line
(R) Jeff Hurd*
(D) Somebody
80%
40%
CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado)
See Full Big Line
(R) Lauren Boebert*
(D) Somebody
90%
10%
CO-05 (Colorado Springs)
See Full Big Line
(R) Jeff Crank*
(D) Somebody
80%
20%
CO-06 (Aurora)
See Full Big Line
(D) Jason Crow*
(R) Somebody
90%
10%
CO-07 (Jefferson County)
See Full Big Line
(D) B. Pettersen*
(R) Somebody
90%
10%
CO-08 (Northern Colo.)
See Full Big Line
(R) Gabe Evans*
(D) Yadira Caraveo
(D) Joe Salazar
50%
40%
40%
State Senate Majority
See Full Big Line
DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
80%
20%
State House Majority
See Full Big Line
DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
95%
5%
November 11, 2015 01:58 PM UTC
24 Comments
The
Personally, I am pissed off enough at corporations like Walmart to vote this down even if it would be more convenient for myself personally. YMMV.
While I sympathize with the small business owner, I think the time has long passed for the uneconomic law that restricts liquor stores to a single location. There are a few large, nice liquor stores with good prices and excellent selection. But mostly there are thousands of tiny, dingy, struggling liquor stores with no hope of providing a prosperous living to their owners or employees.
So yeah, I'd like to see not only full strength beer and wine (and liquor) in any grocery store that wants to carry it, but also let the liquor stores have multiple locations to gain economies of scale while still offering the best selections and let them carry the bulk of the specialty and high dollar brands of beer, wine and liquor. Only then could liquor stores compete and differentiate themselves from the grocers, and provide value and convenience for consumers.
Can you imagine if gas stations were limited to only having a single location? What do you think that would do to the price of gasoline and the earnings potential of the gas station operators?
I wouldn't say "no hope," but it's true that liquor store jobs are generally low paying. I agree that liquor stores should be able to expand to compete with the groceries if this goes through.
You might want to check out what the grocery chains version of fair trade is and what they're trying to do here in CO. Below the link to information regarding the bill sent to the state legislature and what will be put to a public ballot proposal in November if the legislature defeats the ballot, as they have in the past. Here's the link: http://www.9news.com/story/news/local/politics/2015/11/05/grocery-stores-boozy-ballot/75226504/
I'm with JeffcoBlue on this one. Our local liquor stores do just fine. I also believe Big Grocery would have given the shaft to the Palisade wineries when they were struggling to get their brands out to consumers.
While Big Grocery may insist that product stocking decisions are made at the local level, any trip into Wally World, City Market or King Soopers (both Kroger) and Safeway or Albertson's (one company) will show you that all such calls come down from corporate.
I'm not inconvenienced by making another stop on the way home.
Small liquor store businesses do struggle, and their employees are generally not paid a living wage. In contrast, Kroger employees are unionized with a contract for better pay and benefits. That doesn't help Wal-Mart employees, I admit, but it's better than nothing.
As of now I'm inclined to support this.
What I forgot to add to my comment above is that the timing of the liquor law change should optimally come first to let the market consolidate and stabilize. Then it would be a fairer fight between the two distribution channels. Right now, there is a real danger that not only would Walmart, Target and the grocery stores skim the market of the volume brands, they would also take what little profit there is away from the many thousands of weaker liquor stores, so we'd sort of make a bad situation worse.
This really is a dilemma. But if I had to choose, I'd vote for the grocery store law and let the market sort itself out. I don't see the liquor licensing law changing without a major push somehow. This might be the push they need.
I have no strong feelings on the subject. Grew up in Chicago and close in burbs where supermarkets had liquor, all of it. Beer, wine, scotch, etc. There were also liquor stores that had a much better selection but it was nice to be able to pick something up in the liquor aisle when you were in a hurry.
I live close to the Littleton Safeway that has an on site extensive liquor section with as much shelf space as a decent sized liquor store and they do have a great selection including a very good selection of microbrews and some Colorado wine at good prices. I often pick up a bottle of wine there. I prefer Spanish and South American but Colorado wine has been available and I also buy microbrew for my husband. It's better than any nearby liquor stores, all pretty small and basic without nearly as good a selection, especially of microbrew or interesting wines, and saves me the trip I used to have to take way out County Line to the nearest good, large, well priced liquor store.
This Safeway was built with the space for the on site liquor from the get go. Other stores adding liquor to existing space would be more like what I remember from my youth; a limited selection aisle for the quick grab or wine to cook with, not really in competition with fully stocked liquor stores. I wouldn't mind allowing it. Agree with Davie that most of the small stores aren't very good anyway. The ones that are are little overpriced boutique type places where I wouldn't shop anyway.
Let grocery stores sell wine and beer, and let liquor stores sell pot (but only as prepackaged joints or 1/8ths of low-potency strains). Then in 20 years we can let the liquor stores and full-service dispensaries fight it out.
Compromise!
Free markets. Competition. No brainer.
What about the special tax break for Walmart to ship more jobs overseas? How could you be so indifferent to the needs of your masters, the billionaires?
Like my good friend, Moderatus, always says here, "No brainer."
(You weren't expecting him to ever make a choice that required a brain, would you?)
Having lived in states where the supermarkets are allowed to sell real beer and wine, as well as in states where the State is firmly in control, I find Colorado's stores to be much better stocked than either. I think we have a good thing going with our current setup.
Colorado has at least three of the country's largest liquor stores, mostly due to our current restrictive liquor laws. I'm not sure if those stores would be the same with every single supermarket selling the more common mass-market beers and wines (and liquors, if that's part of the initiative). They have some of the most competitive prices I've seen nationally, too.
I'm a definite 'no' vote. The supermarkets want money from the easy sale. They don't generally care about our thriving craft beer industry. They don't generally care about Colorado wines or whiskies. If they get this, they'll take the easy sales – the easy profits – from the current liquor stores.
I am a "no" on this one…
Because alcohol kills and ruins the lives and health of more people than any other legal or illegal drug, it's a tough sell for me to make it more available. At least liquor store clerks check IDs, and they can't have underage clerks selling booze. At least people have to make a special trip to the liquor store – they can't just get booze while they pick up everyday necessities.
At my neighborhood grocery store now, half of the clerks are under 18 outside of school hours. Will they demur at selling booze to their friends? Ever hear of peer pressure?
So I vote no.
The one Safeway that sells liquor is required to check everyone's ID every time. It doesn't matter if you look 80 and everybody knows you and you were just there buying wine yesterday. The check out clerks have to enter your birthdate to complete check out. You can't proceed with self check out either without someone coming over to check your ID and enter your birthdate. No subjective judgement involved. No number of wrinkles accepted as proof of age. Much stricter than anything I've ever seen at any Liquor store where I'm pretty sure booze is often more rather than less available to the underaged than at Safeway or the one King Sooper on site location.
Can't enter the ID argument, as I am completely without facts on the issue.
my heartburn with the idea lies in here where Gertie points a finger…
The big guys will undoubtedly chase a significant number of neighborhood liquor stores out of business…simple math.
The small liquor stores anywhere near me are either shabby little places with lousy selection or pretentious little boutique liquor stores with silly prices. They provide low paying jobs without benefits and I wouldn't miss any of them.
For good selection, including an array of local, other American and foreign microbrews and good American and international wine at reasonable prices I either have to go way out County Line to Davidsons or less than a mile south of my house to the excellent, extensive on site liquor section at Safeway. I choose the latter both for convenience and in support of well paying jobs with benefits where the tax revenue stays in my town, City of Littleton, not to be confused with Jeffco unincorporated Littleton which I avoid like the plague.
I can't speak to the situation in small rural towns. Whether the law changes or not, I'm not going to be shopping at any of the inadequate or pretentious small liquor stores in my area and I'll only be making the occasional trip out to mega-store Davidson's where I'm sure employees don't have a deal as good as they get at union Safeway when I want something harder to find.
At least unless the Safeway workers go on strike. There hasn't been one for years now but I have always honored union picket lines at King Sooper and Safeway in the past as I do all union picket lines. And I do support small local businesses, buying all my spices (I go through lots for dry rub BBQ and curries), tea and other specialties in downtown Littleton and patronizing the local stand alone and small local chain restaurants. I also never darken the door of Walmart or Sam's Club, their evil twin.
To be honest, a vote either way won't put a dent in my routine. I'd need some convincing for other reasons why I should vote no on a system similar to what I grew up with.
No. Our Safeway is the only grocer in town. Many/most small towns have one grocery that does a pretty lousy job of providing us with good produce, good service, etc. Let them sell booze and that is where all their attention will be focused.
Our liquor store provides lots of choice. I think they stock at least 75 beers and more wines. Price might be a little higher but they always have steep discounts on crappy beer; Bud, Coors,etc
Yes. My local King Soop carries my favorite BBQ sauce from The Rib House, medium thank you. If a one location (Longmont) BBQ joint can get their bottles stocked, I have some hope that our local breweries can get some shelf space.
Then again, for alli know Heintz may have licensed the name.
This is where I side on the free market. And anyone who is shopping Wally World doesn't deserve good beer anyhow.
At least we can now buy wine on Sundays!
I have enjoyed the convenience of grocery store wine when traveling to states where alcohol sales are permitted.
But, my vote is in favor of separating liquor from groceries. We already have enough market consolidation by large corporations.
I'm also against liquor store chains. The laws around liquor sales are designed to prevent horizontal and vertical dominance, and I think that is a good thing. We see lots of diverse, small businesses in beer, wine, craft whiskey.
A comparison might be made with grocery store pharmacies. But, that is an essential service that deserves the widest and most convenient distribution. Per my other argument, we are definitely seeing the collapse of independent pharmacies.
1. I would vote to abolish all laws regarding booze.
2. The 3-tier distribution system needs to be destroyed.
Let freedom ring!
Do it for the children.
Not Sure
I'm sympathetic to the people who bought liquor licenses (and those who rent to them) assuming a continued sales environment, so the time frame for implementation would matter to me. I'd be most likely to support it if the overall number of liquor licenses did not increase for a few years, and at the end of that time, there would be no limit on the number of licenses (and thus open up competition).
I'm not sure. I'd like to hear what the craft brewers have to say. I grew up with liquor sold in grocery stores and there were still liquor stores around, so I'm not sold on the idea that it's the end of liquor stores. My neighborhood liquor store is more expensive that LiquorMart (Boulder), but the selection of craft beer and box wine is good. I'd hate to give that up for the sake of saving a buck.