PA Plans Liquor Stores in Supermarkets
ALLENTOWN, PA -- The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board plans to open liquor stores inside major supermarkets in the Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg areas, perhaps by the end of the year.
"We are talking to grocery chains across the state," Liquor Control Board spokesman Bill Epstein told The Morning Call of Allentown for Wednesday's editions. "It would be a store within a store."
But there's a bottleneck in the state's plans. Epstein said the state needs about 2,500 square feet of space for a liquor store, and there aren't any supermarkets in the targeted areas that can spare that much space. That means either waiting for a new supermarket to open, or waiting for an existing store to expand.
"We're hoping this is done possibly at the end of the year," Epstein said, "maybe early 2004."
Earlier, the LCB had announced that it will open four discount liquor stores next month near state borders. The state has also started Sunday liquor sales in some stores.
"We are talking to grocery chains across the state," Liquor Control Board spokesman Bill Epstein told The Morning Call of Allentown for Wednesday's editions. "It would be a store within a store."
But there's a bottleneck in the state's plans. Epstein said the state needs about 2,500 square feet of space for a liquor store, and there aren't any supermarkets in the targeted areas that can spare that much space. That means either waiting for a new supermarket to open, or waiting for an existing store to expand.
"We're hoping this is done possibly at the end of the year," Epstein said, "maybe early 2004."
Earlier, the LCB had announced that it will open four discount liquor stores next month near state borders. The state has also started Sunday liquor sales in some stores.
