As a general rule, I tend to prefer public ownership of essential services – utilities including power, natural gas and telephones; grain marketing (especially as opposed to ownership by Middle Eastern corporations) and, of course, liquor. 😉
Under the Brad Wall government, Saskatchewan has opened a couple private liquor stores recently including one in a former steak house very close to where we live.
It’s a beautiful store – well-lit, well-stocked with a wide variety of liquors (including one of my favourite beers from our time in Calgary I could never get in Regina previously), a huge walk-in beer cooler, a nice web site and weekly e-mail flyer plus some great sale prices (although regular prices appear to not be as promising – one 66oz bottle of hard liquor that Shea and I pay ~$68 for in a traditional LB was priced at $75 in the new Sobey’s Liquor Store.)
With that said, I’ve been to this store a couple times (mostly because I’m really enjoying their selection of craft beers which is both wider than the LBs in Regina and available already chilled, unlike most beers sold in Regina LBs.)
(And on that note – my biggest problem with this privatization is that there’s no good reason that the Sask Liquor & Gaming Commission couldn’t have re-designed their stores to be more modern, inviting and customer-friendly many years ago. Even when the NDP is protesting this new privatization, I can’t help but think “But why didn’t you push for modernization of the stores when you were in power? Maybe people wouldn’t be so eager to spend $150,000+ on opening day in a private liquor store – as was rumoured to be the case for the Regina store – and would’ve been a lot more supportive of the stores we already have!)
Anyhow, as I said, I suspect I’ll likely end up still buying most of my booze at the regular LB but most of my craft brews and anything with a good sale price at the new store.
But I’ll definitely have to watch those “Sale” tags… 😉
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