More booze news: West Seattle stores seeking suggestions

March 1, 2012 at 1:50 pm | In West Seattle news, WS beverages | 19 Comments

With three months to go till the hard-liquor business is fully privatized in our state, two local stores are asking your opinion regarding what they should stock. Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) has just announced an online survey asking which brands you’d like to see, including locally produced “craft” spirits – take the survey here. Meanwhile, West Seattle Thriftway is inviting you, via their home page, to e-mail your thoughts, particularly regarding “local craft liquor.” (While they’re not conducting surveys so far as we know, we also have reported that local QFC and Safeway stores have already applied for their licenses to sell liquor.)

19 Comments

  1. Just curious–has anything ever happened with the two lawsuits that were filed to stop the state takeover of the liquor business?

    Comment by sandy — 4:31 pm March 1, 2012 #

  2. Just an FYI ! The liq stores have great prices on their wines because they are closing them all out. Buy 6 bottles and get 10 percent off .

    Comment by Hiya — 5:24 pm March 1, 2012 #

  3. I’m hoping QFC will annex that great liquor store underneath them!

    Comment by cheshire — 5:44 pm March 1, 2012 #

  4. Hasnt that always been the deal? I know it’s long been true for QFC, Safeway, and Fred Meyer; they actually have carriers for six bottles for that very purpose…

    Comment by K2 — 5:47 pm March 1, 2012 #

  5. I hope they keep carrying a few grocery items.

    Comment by Mike — 6:36 pm March 1, 2012 #

  6. I’d love to see the California chain, BevMo. That place is amazing.

    Comment by Traci — 7:24 pm March 1, 2012 #

  7. K2, that is true, customers have always received 10% off for a case. But with these state stores ending they are closing out wines with closeout prices which also qualify for the 10% case discount.
    This brings a Washington bubbly we drink from $8.99 ($7.99 at COSTCO) to $6.99

    Comment by frugal wino — 7:43 pm March 1, 2012 #

  8. K2, that is true, customers have always received 10% off for a case.
    But with these state stores going out of business they are closing out wines with closeout prices which also qualify for the 10% case discount.
    This brings a Washington bubbly we drink from $8.99 ($7.99 at COSTCO) to $6.99 before the case discount. Supplies are dis-appearing.

    Comment by frugal wino — 7:45 pm March 1, 2012 #

  9. Baileys Irish Cream.

    Comment by Alvis — 7:50 pm March 1, 2012 #

  10. What? they actually want to know what craft distillers we are interested in? But what about all those people that said the state was the best to determine what we wanted to drink and when it switched over to private stores they wouldn’t care what we want and would only carry Jim Beam and Seagrams. . . .those were the same folks that said that everything would be more expensive in our brave new world. Can’t wait to see if they were wrong about that as well. I realize it is too early to gloat and will eat my words when the time comes if I have to but for now it feels pretty good.

    Comment by 2 Much Whine — 8:07 pm March 1, 2012 #

  11. Traci – we published a quick note here a couple weeks back – BevMo! will have a location in Southcenter – they applied for a liquor license at a particular address. Not sure if any others in the works, but that one seems to be … TR

    Comment by WSB — 8:59 pm March 1, 2012 #

  12. 2 Much,
    Prices will be slightly higher on spirits then they are currently, at least for the next 2 years.
    I suggest stocking your cabinet before June 1st if you want to save a few $$$.

    Comment by Trick — 9:15 pm March 1, 2012 #

  13. Wider selection of Irish whiskeys, please. There’s more out there than Jameson, I promise!
    .
    And local craft distilleries would be fab.

    Comment by datamuse — 9:28 pm March 1, 2012 #

  14. I am so excited for this! I definitely filled out the survey. Gotta give the nods to my favorite brands.

    Comment by MaryCooks — 9:35 pm March 1, 2012 #

  15. Trick, have you ever heard of loss leaders? You don’t think stores will drop prices to get you in the door? I have never been to a state that has privatized liquor that charges as much as our state stores do. And with a Bevmo (Beverages and More) looking to put a store in Seattle I’ll bet they’ll do whatever it takes to get people to start going to their store. Like I said, I’ll wait patiently to see what really happens and then I’ll just have to gloat a little (although it isn’t very flattering). But, along with that is the possibility I may have to eat crow and I’m prepared for that as well.

    Comment by 2 Much Whine — 8:17 am March 2, 2012 #

  16. +1 for BevMo!

    I suppose the new Trader Joes will have spirits as well. I don’t expect Safeway and QFC to stock a particularly imaginative selection of spirits, so it will be up to specialty stores like Metro Market and others to offer that.

    Comment by BD — 9:45 am March 2, 2012 #

  17. 2 much whine,

    so you think grocery stores are going to stock all the hard-to-find booze that you want so they can sell a couple of units?

    this was the argument that confused me, the idea that grocery stores would magically provide a huger, better selection of ways to get you drunk.

    the liquor store under qfc has scores and scores of variety.

    you also think that grocerys stores will drop prices to ‘get you in the door?’

    what more motivation do you need to get you in the door other than providing alcohol?

    Do other states have it so that jack daniels is 50% off?

    i’m wondering how you prepare yourself to ‘eat crow.’

    Comment by steve — 10:00 am March 2, 2012 #

  18. C’mon Steve, the new liquor store under the QFC is not a typical store. It is the premier store for the state and not a very good example of an average store (although it is pretty nice to have the nicest store in the state in our neighborhood). Google BevMo. 1.75 liters of Stolichnaya vodka is running $24.98. According to the WSLCB website the retail price here for the exact same product is $46.95. 1.75 liters of Gentleman Jack runs $43.98 at BevMo and it’s $60.95 here. I’m pretty sure their price does not include sales tax and I know ours does but I still don’t see how it can possibly cost more than our current dinosaur of a system. We all need to eat, don’t we? Then your argument would imply that since we need to eat and stores sell food they wouldn’t have to advertise to get us to come in. Your flawed logic seems to ignore the fact that we didn’t have COMPETITION in the past but now we do.
    -
    I prefer my crow with a nice dry spice rub cooked up with a little garlic and olive oil. I’ll be happy to have a nice big helping if you nannystaters are right.
    -
    BD is right – if there is a market for craft distillers someone will sell it. Maybe not at Costco but Met Market or BevMo or someplace like the Beer Junction will fill the bill.
    -
    I see $100 bottles of wine at Met Market and they probably don’t sell one per day but they still carry it. . . . .

    Comment by 2 Much Whine — 5:31 pm March 2, 2012 #

  19. oh boy! Bev Mo?! Really?! Can’t wait!

    Comment by cheshire — 9:46 am March 5, 2012 #

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