liquor privatization

Washington liquor sales still up after privatization

The Associated Press — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 23:01:57 +0000

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Washington state officials say sales of hard liquor have increased since the state privatized liquor sales.

Washington auctioning off liquor inventory

The Associated Press — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 18:26:22 +0000

The Washington Liquor Control Board auctions off 15,000 cases of alcohol Thursday to the highest bidder with a liquor license.

Reports of dramatic drop in sales at former Wash. state liquor stores

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 07:21:42 +0000

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Statewide liquor sales in Washington are up since privatization took effect in June. But business is down dramatically at some former state-owned liquor stores.

At Rainier Park Liquor, it used to take two clerks during the day. Three at peak times. Now manager Kevin Dziedzic says one person can mind the store most of the time. Business is so slow he even had to lay-off the owner’s brother.

“Definitely just have to be wiser with the money we spend,” Dziedzic says.

Dziedzic says business is off 40 to 45 percent since the nearby Safeway and QFC started selling hard liquor.

Washington liquor sales show continued strength

The Associated Press — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 23:23:06 +0000

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington liquor sales are showing signs of continued strength after the state moved to a privatized system.

Washington liquor sales pick up in July

The Associated Press — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 22:40:28 +0000

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington liquor sales picked back up in July, the second month people were able to buy liquor in Washington grocery stores and other markets. Sales were up 15.4 percent compared to July 2011.

Washington liquor prices up 17 percent over last year

Colin Fogarty — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 22:38:51 +0000

Washington liquor prices were 17 percent higher on average in June, compared to the same month a year ago.

The state Department of Revenue also reported sales declined in the first month private retailers could sell spirits in Washington.

The surprising places you might find liquor in Washington

Monica Spain — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 21:14:18 +0000

Liquor in a hardware store? Mini’s at the checkout stand? Mega-stores around the corner?

Woman on the street: “My parents actually needed a gift for a friend of ours, and they were able to buy it at a convenience store – like a nice bottle of liquor. I think it’s convenient!”

Now that Washington State is out of the liquor sales business, bottles of booze are showing up in some unexpected places.

'It's a buying frenzy' - first day of private liquor sales

Ashley Gross and Lindsay Lowe — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 22:51:37 +0000

"It's a buying frenzy. That's why I came - I wanted to see it on the first day. How could I miss it?" - Kyle Johnson outside a Costco in Seattle

The state of Washington has officially bid good riddance to its state-run liquor stores. About five times as many stores will now sell hard liquor, and the new law that went into effect today means shoppers can head to supermarkets to buy vodka or rum. It’s a welcome change for some people, like Alyssa Royse.

Liquor in stores tomorrow; caps may thwart booze thieves

Ashley Gross — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:03:07 +0000

A huge shift takes place tomorrow when we’ll be able to walk into a Fred Meyer or Safeway and walk out with a bottle of gin. But if you walk out without paying, beware. You may trigger an alarm.

It's just like when you buy a pair of jeans and the clerk snaps off a security tag so you don’t beep when you exit the store. Now when you go buy a bottle of booze, you may see something similar. The device is like a thick plastic sheath that covers the top of the bottle, and it’s designed to make thieves think twice.

Liquor initiative upheld by Washington Supreme Court

The Associated Press — Thu, 31 May 2012 15:45:04 +0000

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington Supreme Court has upheld a voter-approved initiative privatizing liquor sales, one day before the initiative takes effect.

Idaho: How will Washington law affect cross-border booze runs?

Jessica Robinson — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:28:56 +0000

Washington retailers are getting ready for the 78-year-old state monopoly on liquor sales to end this Friday. It’s not yet clear what privatization will do to the price of alcohol in Washington. One entity with a big stake in the matter … is the state of Idaho.

Some of Idaho’s most profitable state-run liquor stores just happen to be along its northwestern border.

“And when we went up to visit those stores, we look at IDs, we’re looking at license plates -- they’re coming from Washington,” says Jared Tatro, a researcher with the Idaho Legislature’s Office of Performance Evaluations.

Liquor store auction nets $31 million for Washington

Tom Banse — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:34:26 +0000

LACEY, Wash. – An online auction to privatize Washington state liquor stores netted nearly $31 million . It's all gravy for the state budget.

State Liquor Control Board business director Pat McLaughlin said today that nothing was penciled in for anticipated auction proceeds. But McLaughlin says he expected the bidding to be fierce. And it was.

State to announce sale of 167 WA liquor stores

The Associated Press — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:30:13 +0000

YAKIMA, Wash. — Washington officials are announcing the results Monday of Friday's online auction of state-run liquor stores. The sale of the rights to 167 stores is estimated at more than $20 million. The auction was the result of a state vote to get the state out of the retail liquor business and to privatize sales.

Wash. state nets millions from liquor store auction

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 23:11:18 +0000

OLYMPIA, Wash. - State officials in Olympia are verifying bids this weekend from a very successful online auction of liquor stores. Private entrepreneurs collectively shelled out well in excess of $13 million for the rights to take over specific state-run liquor stores.

A voter-approved ballot measure is forcing Washington state to privatize the liquor business. Going, going, gone are licenses to operate 167 state-run liquor outlets.

Beginning in June, those existing stores will get competition from major grocery chains and discount superstores.

Don't expect great buys on booze when Wash. liquor stores close

Azusa Uchikura — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:35:20 +0000

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington liquor stores are on their way to privatization. But don’t expect a clearance sale on the booze that’s left over when the stores close in May.

Representatives from the state Liquor Control Board gave an update Tuesday to the state lawmakers in Olympia on the privatization approved by voters.