Grocery store wine sales?

A dozen eggs and a bottle of Zinfandel

By FRITZ MAYER

NARROWSBURG, NY — “Would it hurt my business no, I have a special niche,” said Michael Eurey, the proprietor of Narrowsburg Wine and Fine Spirits on Main Street. “But, would it hurt other people I know in the business? You betcha.” Eurey was responding to a measure in governor David Paterson’s proposed budget that would allow the sale of wine in grocery stores and convenience stores. Eurey said, “They’re just scrambling to get money for the budget instead of thinking these things through.”

The push by big grocery store chains to have the ability to sell wines in New York State supermarkets has been going on for decades. But this is the first time that the measure was actually written into the proposed budget. The governor’s office predicts that the measure would lift wine sales in the state and increase taxes. More importantly, perhaps, thousands of grocery stores would buy licenses to sell wine, which would raise the state income by more than $100 million.

Eurey said that if grocery stores are allowed to sell wine, there should be a giveback to the liquor storeowners, who are now barred from selling most non-alcohol items. “Why aren’t we allowed to sell potato chips, cigarettes or even beer?” he asked rhetorically. “Now, you tell me, what are bitters used for other than in a cocktail? Nothing; but I can’t sell them, it’s a food item. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.”

Eurey is not alone in his distaste for the wine in grocery store scenario. John Cirelli, owner of Narrowsburg Liquors at Peck’s Plaza, also thinks it’s a bad idea, and he thinks it will put smaller liquor store owners out of business. He also questioned whether the state will make as much revenue as is projected with sales of the new licenses. He said, “They’re ignoring the fact that they’re going to knock out a lot of people,” who won’t renew licenses in the future.

Also, there are safety questions that have been brought into the debate. Opponents fear that teenagers will have easier access to purchasing wine in convenience stores and grocery stores, where clerks would have less incentive to guard against the sale of wine to minors.

Cirelli had a petition on his counter for a while, which opposed the move to allow wine sales in grocery stores. He said most of his customers were in his corner and signed the petition, which was sent to the New York State Liquor Stores Association, which is lobbying against the effort.

Local elected officials are on the side of the small storeowners. Assemblywomen Aileen Gunther and senator John Bonacic have both promised to work to defeat the measure. And on March 19, the Sullivan County Legislature passed a resolution opposing it.

But there are powerful organizations that want the measure to pass. A group called the Supermarket Wine Coalition is running a public relations campaign supporting the governor’s plan.

According to a release from the coalition, with 2,500 wine-selling outlets New York ranks 46th out of 50 states in the number of outlets per capita. According to its information, the governor’s measure would increase the number of outlets to 18,000 and “would foster increased competition and save New York’s consumers some $80 million as a result.”

Moreover, others argue that if New York joins the 35 other states that already allow sales of wine in grocery stores, the move would help the growing winery industry in the state, further adding to jobs and tax revenues.