Stand With NY’s Liquor Stores!

Absolutely. Wine sales account for 40–75% of total revenue for New York State wine and liquor stores. Wine is not a supplemental product for these businesses—it is the foundation that allows them to stay open, employ local workers, and offer a diverse selection of products.

If wine sales are shifted to grocery stores, liquor stores would experience a significant and immediate loss of revenue. That decline would force many locally owned stores to close their doors, lay off valued employees, or reduce hours and staffing. Others would be compelled to scale back their inventory, resulting in fewer choices for consumers and less support for small and regional wineries.

The ripple effects would be felt well beyond the storefront. Job losses would impact store employees, sales representatives, delivery drivers, and union workers, while communities would lose trusted neighborhood businesses that contribute to local economies and Main Streets. Ultimately, allowing wine in grocery stores would destabilize a system that supports small businesses, local jobs, and New York’s renowned wine economy.

Yes. Many large supermarket chains are headquartered out of state, and their profits are not reinvested in New York. Local wine and liquor stores reinvest in their communities and help New York’s economy grow.

WIGS will not help the economy since consumers will not be buying more wine; they will shift their purchasing from liquor stores to grocery stores. Small wine and liquor stores are anchors of Main Streets, driving foot traffic that benefits nearby restaurants, shops, and service providers.

Closures would reduce local economic activity, hurting downtown areas, small retailers, and local tax revenue.

Big-box supermarkets are driven by volume and profit, not by diversity or local economic development. Their wine selections are dominated by high-margin, nationally advertised brands and private-label products that they control. As a result, small wineries struggle to secure meaningful shelf space, particularly when they cannot compete with the pricing power, volume requirements, and distribution networks demanded by large chains.

Most New York State wineries are small businesses producing limited quantities of wine. These wineries rely on independent wine and liquor stores that actively seek out local products, promote New York labels, and educate consumers about regional producers. Wine and liquor stores serve as essential partners for small wineries, helping them reach customers, build brand recognition, and grow sustainably.

Allowing wine sales in grocery stores would shift market power away from these community-based retailers and toward corporate chains, squeezing small wineries out of the marketplace. The result would be fewer opportunities for New York producers, less variety for consumers, and long-term harm to New York’s renowned wine economy.

In states like Colorado, where grocery stores were allowed to sell wine, independent liquor stores experienced double-digit sales declines, closures, layoffs, and reduced consumer choice.

Multiple Colorado retailers reported sales declines of roughly 30%–40% after grocery stores began selling wine in March 2023, with many small liquor stores feeling competitive pressure as customers buy beer and wine during grocery shopping trips.

Local wine and liquor stores are anchors of local Main Streets. They pay local taxes, generate foot traffic, and support nearby restaurants and small retailers. When these shops close, communities lose a vital part of their small-business ecosystem and local character.

This proposal is about corporate expansion, not convenience. New York already has thousands of neighborhood wine and liquor stores providing responsible service and community access. Wine in grocery stores primarily benefits large chains, not consumers or communities.

Increased alcohol availability is likely to lead to higher rates of underage access to alcohol. Liquor stores are specifically designed, staffed, and regulated to sell alcohol responsibly. Liquor store employees receive specialized training, check IDs consistently, and face strict penalties for violations. Alcohol is their sole product and focus.

Grocery stores sell thousands of products and often rely on self-checkout and nonspecialized staff, which makes alcohol enforcement more difficult.