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[Jayhawk]

So giant eagle wants its hermitage store, like a few others, to be able to serve beer in its cafe and for patrons to be able to stop in and buy take-out six packs. It sounded warmly received at first, but now we read that 2 of the 5 commissioners have found evil in the plan, based on the premise that this will become a dive bar and that it will drive beer distributors out of business.

first, when Sheetz elsewhere first tried to do this type of drink sales/carryout license a couple years ago, they actually wanted to be able to do just the carryout part only, not actually serve people who buy their subs and such. LCB said it's all or nothing. Fair enough.

It seems far-fetched to believe that this will become the next nuisance bar with karaoke nights and full of underage teens, alcoholic breadwinners spending their paychecks, and bar fights. Wow, i can get a light meal, sit at a table and eat it, and wash it down with a black-and-gold. I think i'll chug a couple pitchers then go make lewd arrangements out of vegetables in the produce aisle.

Second, the fear that it's gonna bankrupt the city's existing beer distributors. Since GE, like a bar, could only sell up to 2 six-packs of beer to someone, it's hard to imagine case sales dropping precipitously at beer distributors, which can by law only sell four six-packs at a time.

What kind of marketing math would enable the sale of a single six-pack to be cheaper than the price of 1/4th of a case, particularly when GE and bars must buy wholesale through a beer distributor? Hey, if beer distributors give good service, have decent prices and most importantly have a good selection, and they'll survive fine. And for gosh sales, the area currently has HOW many restaurants and bars that sell single six-packs, yet distributors somehow have survived all these years?

In the meantime, protectionism and tee-totaler logic seems to be on the verge of torpedoing a great change in retail beer sales.

[NightmarePatrol]

Pennsylvania has a death grip on alcohol sales in the state and they want to keep it that way. There's a lobby out there somewhere to fighting to keep it that way.

Maybe we can resurrect John Brown and have another rebellion on our hands.

Just a thought...

[GROK]

I think i'll chug a couple pitchers then go make lewd arrangements out of vegetables in the produce aisle.

Most queer and disturbing Master Frodo. While you are in that produce aisle will you quip to the Dean's wife "I think vegetables can be very sensuous, don't you?"

[Puffin]

you mean sensual!!
 
thats a classic Grok

[lifefeedsonlife]

There's a lobby out there somewhere to fighting to keep it that way.

Union.

[TiFeMb]

I like to entertain my friends down here with the rundown on PLCB liqour laws. Down here, you can buy beer and wine in the grocery stores, and the liqour stores have snacks. Imagine that...CONVENIENCE.
 
Hey, if you don't like alcohol, great. Just don't ram your puritanical tendencies down the throats of law abiding Steeler fans that accidentally run out of beer before the big game Sunday.
 
I do miss Giant Eagle though....

[TiFeMb]

I have the same perspective Ko-Shin, Why do they allow people to drive to gars and clubs? Why do they even have parking lots?
Back in the day we used to do the North Street Crawl...we could walk there, stumble around and walk home. Fairly safe as long as you stayed in the alleys....
The difference between a beer and a smoke is that the smoke can affect my kid in profound ways, causing an immediate RAD (asthma like) attack that requires imediate intervention. Drinking a beer is confined to the drinker until they try to drive.
 
...and that includes riding/driving a bicycle...

[Zipper]

When I lived in California, you could buy beer, wine, and other liquors in the grocery stores. No big deal. They still had privately owned liquor stores also. It's simply a matter of control and profits here in PA.

Just because I "could" buy it in a store, doesn't mean I did. In fact... silly as it seems, I don't think I ever did plop a wine bottle or a six pack in my grocery cart while shopping for food.

I used to buy cartons of smokes though... finally kicked that habit 6-7 years ago.

[TiFeMb]

Just because I "could" buy it in a store, doesn't mean I did.

BINGO. It is a personal choice. Why make it difficult? The alcoholics figure out how to get what they want anyway. I remember beer runs on Saturday Night SPECIFICALLY because we knew we would run out of beer before the game Sunday.
Remember the old Mickey's on North Street? They had a six pack sales drive through window in the alley. To get around the "only 2 six packs per visit/person rule" (16oz didn't work either, too many oz's???) We would drive through, get 2 six packs, drive around the corner, switch drivers, and circle back around. Sometimes we would do this 5-6 times!!!! Stupid, but a rule that we had to circumvent. Did it stop us from abusing alcohol or DUI. NOPE.

[JimV]

I'll be interested to see how the public hearing on this goes.  I won't be attending though, as I rarely shop at Giant Eagle and I don't have any plans or desire to get hammered there (or in any other grocery store for that matter) anytime soon.  I'm pretty left-wing about planning, zoning, and local control of business placement, but even I find the rationale for opposition absolutely ridiculous.
 
I have a feeling that this will ultimately be shot down by the board, probably in a 3-2 vote.  Anyone remember "Beer Bellies," the six-pack shop that was proposed for the plaza on the corner of Buhl Farm and Highland?  The commissioners in my opinion had absolutely NO justifiable basis to reject that plan either, and yet they still did.
 
I'll admit though, that I see a possible silver lining if it does get voted down...since the liquor license was formerly held by a Sharon business, I'd rather see it stay in Sharon!  (Ooh there I go, getting all parochial again... )

[Zipper]

"Why make it difficult? The alcoholics figure out how to get what they want anyway."

People just like to make things difficult for everyone else. Like wanting to take guns away from the "nice" folks.... as if the bad-guys will turn their in ...with an apology ....somewhere down the road. Haha. I don't think so.

I'm still in shock from the news report that Mexico is suing Arizona.
Boggles the brain.

[Jayhawk]

OMG! Approved 4-1. It's the end of civilization as we know it! Lock up your children!

[Jayhawk]

I mean how great it is now that when we go grocery shopping around 9:00, 10:00 or 11:00 a.m. we can sit and have a sandwich with some chips and wash them down with a couple cold Beers. There is No better way to start out shopping. Little buzz and maybe need some more munchies to take home, heck may even want to munch a little on the way out of the parking lot.

Ironically, probably every other restaurant that sells beer (for consumption and for takeout) in Hermitage is open at lunchtime, and the beer distributors probably open around 10. Holy cow, who needs a case of beer at 10 in the morning? The shame of it all.

Yet, strangely, there is no rash of arrests of buzzed patrons sitting in SUVs in those establishments' parking lots chugging Coors Light.

And guess what? Anyone who does get buzzed at lunch at other restaurants probably does more-dangerous things than push a 70-pound shopping cart down the frozen-food aisle. Yet, again, when's the last time you saw a mid-afternoon DUI arrest or accident in Hermitage? Rare at best. If there was going to be a problem, we'd already be seeing it, because you've already got a dozen other places in down selling beer in their restaurants and letting people take a cold six' to go.

Instead, all giant eagle wants to be and probably will be is a convenient and profitable take-out place that will have a few adults stopping in to sample a single can or bottle of something before deciding to buy 6 of them or to go 2 doors down and buy 24 of them.

If this is the greatest threat there is to the community, boy, are we living in a bubble.

[TiFeMb]

So now every place that sales food or snacks...you would be willing for them to sale Alcohol for consumption...

 is Wal Mart next......how about every Gas Station...stop for gas and grab a couple cold ones...

It's tht way here in FL. Giant Eagle just wants a piece of the pie. If DUI is such a problem then take the keys away from anyone that drinks in ANY establishment. ONE drink.
 
I personally walked to the bar back in the day....and took the bus to Giant Eagle to do my shopping...

[TiFeMb]

Ko-Shin: I actually agree with you. But the problem lies with the fact that you can get beer anywhere at that time ANYWAY, it's up to the individual to make the smart choice. It's not fair for Billy Bob's Bar to be able to pour drafts and Giant Eagle not to. If the kids ask questions, just give 'em the information.
 
..and it's not like Giant Eagle is going to be the "cool" place to hang out anyway....
 
Again, if DUI is the issue take the keys when you you pour the first drink. Problem solved. Breathalyzer to get the keys back.