Wine proposal worries liquor store owners

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Story Created: Dec 17, 2008 at 12:13 AM EDT

Story Updated: Dec 17, 2008 at 6:34 AM EDT

(WKTV) - Part of the Governor's budget proposal is to allow grocery stores and convenience stores to get a permit to sell wine. The idea is to create revenue with the permit sales, but liquor store owners say it will cripple their business.

Dick Kovach is the owner of The Liquor Loft, in New Hartford, and member of the New York State Liquor Store Association. If you walk through his, or any other liquor store, you won't find beer or even salt for margaritas only wine and liquor. Kovach says those are just a few of the restrictions liquor stores have to follow and grocery stores don't.

"We came in (to opening a liquor store) being told we are the only ones who cold sell wine and liquor with all the restrictions. Now they want to give it away to anybody without those same restrictions." said Kovach.

The state liquor store association says a study was done five years ago when this proposal was first considered serious. Members say that study showed about 1,000 liquor stores would fail, and roughly
4,000 people could lose their job.

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