Liquor Bill Bad For Colorado Wineries?

The Colorado Legislature's controversial House Bill 1192 has been kicking around the legislature for months now. If passed, the bill would allow the retail chain grocery stores to sell more potent beer. Opponents to House 1192 say this will undermine the sales of small mom and pop liquor stores, which rely on beer sales for a majority of their revenue, possibly even putting many out of business. Opponents also wonder if this will in turn hurt the wholesale liquor distribution of Colorado's microbreweries and wineries, which currently rely on the liquor stores to get their products in front of the public.

One local TV station wonders what the economic fallout will be for Colorado's small batch wineries, breweries and distillers.

Under the headline, "House Bill Could Spell Trouble For Liquor Stores," KJCT 8 writes:

"Should grocery stores and convenience stores be able to sell full strength beer? That's the question at the center of a debate over House Bill 1192."

"Under the current law, convenience and grocery stores can only sell beer with 3.2 percent alcohol by weight."

"Liquor stores say that if this bill passes, they could go under."

"I would seriously doubt that very many liquor stores in Grand Junction would be able to stay in business," says Francis Denton of Country Club Liquors."

"The bill has many liquor stores owners worried."

"Obviously a big portion of our business is beer, so if grocery stores get it, we'll loose a good portion of our business," adds Cindy Axelsen of Andy's Liquor."

"The bill is sponsored by Senator Jennifer Veiga, (D) Denver, and Representative Buffie Mcfadyen (R) Pueblo, it would allow stores like Safeway, King Soopers, and other grocery and convenience stores to compete with liquor stores that sell local favorites."

"You'll loose your craft distillers which are the small breweries around Colorado, the Colorado wine industry will be affected by it," adds Axelsen."

"One of the big questions plaguing liquor stores is the regulations they have to meet, they want to know if stores will go through the same procedures."

You can read the story here.