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“wine at food store licenses” "Young people will be pressured to sell to...who bully them" ~ Clelland Johnson
by Robert Falcione October 10, 2006 — One of the most controversial questions on November's ballot is Question #1, which, if it passes, creates a new category, "Wine at Food Store" Licenses that will allow stores that sell "food for consumption elsewhere" to have a license to sell wine. At the forefront of the controversy are the existing license holders, who are allowed to sell beer and wine, or any alcoholic beverage. Their licenses will not be affected, but their sales could be, because in Hopkinton alone an additional seven licenses will become available, according to a quick read of the language in the question. Currently, the law regarding liquor sales is fairly restrictive, keeping a conglomerate from traversing the state with liquor stores on every corner. But the new law would allow one license holder to own up to ten percent of the available new licenses. The opponents of the measure claim that the Stop & Shop parent company, a foreign corporation, is behind the move. Clelland Johnson (Photo), owner of Hopkinton Wine & Spirits, who is celebrating his third anniversary, is very much opposed to the question. "I believe the biggest issue is when convenience stores are allowed to sell wine, the young people who work there will be pressured to sell to their friends or other young people who bully them, he said. "The law, if passed, could double the amount of licenses without a corresponding increase in enforcement or oversight. "When licenses are more readily available, more young people drink alcohol," he said. The question includes language that defines the type of qualifying establishments as those that sell food. Its opponents believe that could include convenience stores, and eventually lead to the sale of other alcohol. When asked the difference between his business and the envisioned ones, Mr. Johnson said, "There is the product mix. we will be able to sell beer and liquor also, while those stores will not be able to. They will l have neither the selection nor the knowledge we have. "And we take our training very seriously. If we get shut down for three days, that's a huge financial impact, as opposed to stores where it is a sideline," he said. The proponents of the measure claim that more competition will decrease retail prices for wine and bring Massachusetts in line with a majority of states in the nation. They also claim that the current system protects a monopoly, although in Hopkinton alone, there are three establishments with full liquor licenses. Dale Danahy, Manager of Colella's, a grocery store with a full liquor license was equally opposed. "I think it will make alcohol more available to young people," she said during a break in Michael's Run on Saturday. "There could be anywhere from 1,000 to 2,200 new stores able to sell wine under this law, and with only 14 ABCC [Alcohol Beverages Control Commission] agents in the state, it would really tax their ability to enforce the law. "Anyone who sells groceries will qualify for a license, and this will get their foot in the door and and then they'll say, 'Look how good we're doing. Let us sell liquor or beer'." "In he other states that have it there are more alcoholics and the death rate is greater. "Mass will be doing the right thing in not following the other states." she said. With the current rules restricting ownership of a number of licenses, it appears that the control of alcohol has been kept in the hands of local small businesses. The way the law is written, it appears that Wal-Marts, which have a virtual grocery store inside, would also qualify for licenses.
Editor's Note: The trend toward proliferating and commoditizing everything, and often at a national level, reduces small business participation in a community and diminishes local control over goods and services, as well as creating mediocrity of product. We have seen that in the last few years with stationery and drug stores closing everywhere, as well as local hardware stores and photo labs struggling or going out of business because of large or national organizations "buying into" a category of business. HopNews is firmly on the side of local business, because they are on the side of the community. A HopNews Poll will follow. |
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