The following is an editorial by Will Cheek.
The issue of wine in grocery stores stirred up considerable attention during the last legislative session. We sat on the sidelines watching lobbyists ostensibly advocate for consumer interests, but pushing legislation that was inherently unfair to retail liquor stores and the hundreds of store owners. We saw advocates for the established liquor industry oppose wine in grocery stores based on public safety issues, but saw no public response to the unfairness of the pending wine in grocery store legislation based on business issues.
For more on the legislation, read Krogering for Wine, published earlier this spring.
We are not personally an advocate of wine in grocery stores. Someday, wine will be sold in Tennessee grocery stores. Many people have been asking the obvious question: When? What very few seem to be discussing is: What will the legislation do to benefit retail liquor stores?
We expect that wine in grocery store legislation will be introduced in an upcoming legislative session and that the established liquor industry will oppose the legislation. At some point, when it appears that legislation may indeed pass, the retail industry should be prepared to back legislation that also benefits the retail liquor business.
The industry should consider whether the single store limitation makes sense when competing against the buying power of grocery store chains. Grocery stores will be able to sell wine with beer, food and supplies. Retail liquor stores may want to be able to pair fine wine with fine wine glasses and cork screws, sell beer, softdrinks and mixers, and perhaps to have the ability to pair a Jägermeister t–shirt with bottles of Jägermeister.
When Kroger starts stocking wine on its shelves, we hope to see our local liquor store owners diversify their product base and stand ready to compete. We understand it will not be easy, but the industry should be prepared for that moment.
