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Cumby's wants to run packies, lots and lots of packies, oh, God, so many packies
By adamg on Fri, 08/09/2019 - 11:39am
The Globe reports that the owners of Cumberland Farms has filed a proposed ballot question that would let chains like, oh, Cumberland Farms, sell liquor at as many stores as it wants.
Under current state law - the result of a compromise between pure packies and supermarket chains - by 2020, companies will be able to hold as many as nine liquor licenses in the state.
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Comments
GOOD
It's about time we catch up to the 21st century.
I don't even drink and think "packy" laws are disguised as a public safety measure when in reality they exist solely for grifting and to protect established monopolies.
Our honorable dry drunk won't have any of it I'm sure, but he's due for retirement anyway so ya never know.
GOD FORBID
The horror..
Cumberland Farms - just purchased
I can't access the Globe article, but this article would indicate that Cumberland Farms has recently been purchased by a UK owned company.... https://www.wwlp.com/news/cumberland-farms-sold-to-british-company/
Wow they were sold
https://www.telegram.com/news/20190802/cumberland-farms-sold-to-british-...
About the buyer's US holdings: (From wiki)
In December 2018, EG completed its acquisition of 225 Minit Mart sites from Travel Centers of America LLC for upwards of US$330m. In July 2019, EG completed its acquisition of 54 Fastrac branded sites in the US and announced a deal to acquire 69 sites operated by Certified Oil, also in the US.
Put me down as "No"
Even though I grew up in a state where every little store, pizza place and CVS sold beer, I don't support bringing that model to Mass. The existing liquor stores have put money and effort into building their clientele. Why dilute the existing market? Surely there is not a dearth of places to buy alcohol such that we need to increase the number of outlets.
THE FREE MARKET BABY!
No reason any American adult in 2019 should not be able to buy a sixer and smokes when they're filling up.
I mean, I'm a capital "D" Democratic Liberal and if that ain't quintessential Americana than I don't know what is.
Even think of the small breweries who want to break into markets but because we have a beverage monopoly they can't afford to or are just flatly refused any opportunity.
If liquor sales are expanded there will be an opportunity to stop extending those monopolies and actually level the playing field.
Just my .02
Actually, my experience (at
Actually, my experience (at least in California and a few other western states) is usually the opposite. Big chains (think Wahlgreen's, Albertson's, etc.) are the primary place to buy beer/wine. However, they have distribution deals with - other big companies. So, you go into the big chain store and you get the same production selection in LA, SF, San Luis Obispo, which is largely well marketed beer/wine (Bud, Corona, Sam), as well as some "craft brews" (which are usually owned by a big company). They generally don't stock the obscure, local craft beer. Meanwhile, pure package stores, which might be likely to have a wider production selection (rather than just one cooler in the store) are very hard to find. I think, in 2 years in SF, I found maybe 2-3 package stores in the entire city.
Beer and Wine ... okay
Liquor? No.
Sorry, but these are car-oriented businesses. I think it is a very bad idea to sell high-octane.
Why dilute the market? to let
Why dilute the market? to let the consumer decide where they want to shop.
The consumers did decide
There was a ballot question to expand the cap on stores and it failed.
I'm opposed to liquor being sold in gas stations. Mass has too big of a problem with drunk driving already.
Consumers didn't decide, all
Consumers didn't decide, all the state's voters did, those who purchase alcohol and those those don't.
No.
No.
There was a ballot question to allow "food stores" to sell wine, separately from the existing licenses. Very different from just changing the cap.
No for me as well
Cumberland Farms is mostly gas stations. I don't have much issue with people picking up sixpacks at gas station convenience stores, but hard liquor?
Beer and wine licenses should be enough.
Why are you ok with people
Why are you ok with people driving to bars, where they are consuming alcohol, but not gas stations (or supermarkets since those are limited by the same law), where people are buying alcohol to drink later.
Any bar with parking is inviting drinking and driving, not necessarily so with gas stations selling alcohol. Also, this rule would change how many stores each company could sell at, not if. Cumberland already sells at a limited number. So if the rule were about safety I don't see how an arbitrary number (6, but soon 9) makes a difference.
Should all groceries items be
Should all groceries items be limited like this? Should you only be able to buy bread at a few of each companies stores? That would certainly help the independent bakeries that invested so much.
Well, to remain consistent,
Well, to remain consistent, you would need to allow all stores in MA to sell any product, which would include marijuana. Still feel so sarcastic?
No thats a lie. To remain
No thats a lie. To remain consistent there wouldn't be a set number of stores a company can sell a product in, but the same regulations of who can sell it would remain.
So in your example no, any store couldn't sell marijuana (the same as any store cant sell alcohol), but a company that is allowed to sell marijuana that has multiple (2 or 10 or whatever number) stores would be able to sell them at all their stores. All stores aren't allowed to sell prescription meds, but the ones that can have no limit on their number.
How many Cumberland Farms are
How many Cumberland Farms are in Boston? Why don't we try to (1) lower the number of alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes, and (2) actually do something about the addicted wandering the streets with no place to go and littering our bodies of water, parks, and school grounds with disease ridden needles and empty nip bottles, before we start making alcohol more easily accessible.
I just heard somebody talk about buying White Claw at Walgreens.
Why should Massachusetts bros be deprived of the opportunity?
You CAN buy White CLAW at Walgreens!!
Walgreens on School Street and Washington Street has liquor, beer, and a wine selection that trumps many high end restaurants.
In fact, you can also buy sushi, froyo on tap, and jump inside the old bank vault from before the building was converted. It's quite the field trip!