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Liquor Store or Grocery Store? - The wine war heats up

By By EMMA WRIGHT

Story Created: Mar 1, 2010 at 12:16 PM EST

Story Updated: Mar 1, 2010 at 4:08 PM EST

NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. (WKTV) - The wine war is heating up.

A new Siena Research Poll shows that more than half of New Yorkers support selling wine in grocery stores. Now, liquor store owners are putting pressure on Albany to drop the proposed legislation before the budget passes.

Greg Gorea, owner of Seneca Wine and Liquor in New Hartford, says putting wine in supermarkets could put local liquor stores right out of business.

"About four thousand people will be out of a job," Gorea says. "Not putting wine in supermarkets won't be putting any of them out of business."

Governor Paterson is proposing the wine in grocery stores legislation as part of his 2010-2011 budget proposal. The change would allow any store that currently sells beer and food to also sell wine, with some restrictions.

It is estimated that sales could bring in $250 million in the first year that the legislation would be enacted.

Gorea says the proposal will squeeze small businesses to the breaking point.

The Siena Research Poll says 58% of New Yorkers support selling wine in grocery stores, 39% oppose it and 3% are undecided.

If the legislation passes, New York would join 35 other states that allow the sale of wine in supermarkets.
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