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Giant Eagle to offer six-packs
Beer sales likely will start at the grocery store around that time following a decision Wednesday by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to grant liquor licenses to the Giant Eagle in the Strabane Square shopping center on Route 19 and a new store being built in Robinson Township, Allegheny County.
Beer will be sold in a new restaurant inside the store where the delicatessen is now located. Customers will be able to purchase up to two six-packs or a beer with a meal.
"It's the same type of license that you would get if you were operating a restaurant," according to Nick Hays, press secretary for the Liquor Control Board. Unlike such nearby states as Ohio or West Virginia, beer won't be available in the main part of the store. The requirements for a license include seating for at least 40 people, food being served on the premises and minimum space of 400 square feet.
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The board was told that women are more comfortable buying beer in a grocery store setting, accounting for about 70 percent of such sales.
Other grocery store chains in the state have liquor licenses, but none operates in the Pittsburgh region.
"Giant Eagle has sold beer in its Ohio stores for a number of years, and it's been very well-received," said Dick Roberts, a spokesman for Giant Eagle. He added it will offer convenience to customers, so they can do more of their shopping at one stop.
The news that Giant Eagle will be selling beer hasn't been greeted with glee by area beer distributors, however. Jim Platz, the manager of Route 19 Beer and Cigar in Peters Township put it bluntly: "We'll get crushed."
"I believe it'll put us out of business," he explained. Platz characterized Giant Eagle as "a predator" that kills off small businesses, from dry cleaners to video stores.
"I don't know how you can control it as much in a grocery store. We're very sad to see it."
Roberts said that he didn't think Giant Eagle had put anybody out of business thanks to beer sales at its Ohio stores.
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Beer : 10/23/2009
I see Roberts rolled out that old chestnut about a loss of "control" over beer sales. Giant Eagle can check an ID or recognize an inebriated person just as well as somebody working in a beer distributorship. That argument is a canard. I've been to many other states where beer, wine and liquor can be bought in grocery stores and privately owned liquor stores, and I didn't see underage kids and drunks wandering the streets with booze in a paper bag. We'll hear the same silly excuse if anyone pushes legislation to sell off and/or kill the state store system, a move that is long, long overdue.
Ye Olde Slipperye Slope : 10/23/2009
I know PA has been called Eastern Utah for it's state-run liquor control laws, but come on. There is no need for GE to sell beer. How soon will it be before you can buy it at Voll-Marf? Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if they started selling crack within a generation. Oh well. Whatever. Can't fight city hall or big business.
Beer : 10/23/2009
Can't wait for wine to follow. Love when I go South buying food to prepare a meal and a nice bottle of wine to go with it. PA is a pain state store for wine, beer distributor for beer. Give me a break.
beer @ giant eagle. : 10/23/2009
all the libs will come out of the wood work locally now saying all will be alchy's in this town. jeez lighten up people, WV sells the stuff in grocery stores & gas stations/convience stores & does ok as far as I know.
Beer at Giant Eagle : 10/23/2009
I've been a customer at GE for over 35 years, we can't even get through the lines or find a parking space at times, we hope not to see drunks in the store or on the road!
beer @ giant eagle : 10/23/2009
Finally, one stop shopping, this is going to be great. And the perks think of the added perks.... "If they come with beer" but at any rate, it is a perk alone to pick the hubby up some beer to go with his after dinner treat.
RE: beer @ giant eagle : 10/23/2009
"all the libs"?? I personally think there's nothing wrong with GE selling six packs and would like to be able to get beer at Sheetz/GetGo/etc....but before you claim that WV "does ok" you should look into alcohol related fatality statistics. As of 2006 data (at alcoholalert.com), WV has a higher percentage of alcohol related fatalities than PA or the US average, which PA is below. And besides all that, do we really want to start emulating WV?!?
Beer @ Giant Eagle : 10/23/2009
It's not the drunks I'm worried about in the parking lot, it's the old people
Beer @ Giant Eagle : 10/23/2009
Good, its about time Pa begins from the dark ages.
Beer @ Any State : 10/23/2009
Customers will be able to purchase up to two six-packs or a beer with a meal. In Oregon, all alcoholic is tough to get. Have to show proof of your age and the drinking age must be at the age of 21. Nothing is sold to teenagers. http://www.efn.org/~scan SCAN@EFN.ORG
beer at GE : 10/23/2009
why buy 2 six packs for the same price as it will be for you to buy a case from a distributor? i am all for selling beer in the supermarket but six packs??? you need to sell cases......
Beer @ GE : 10/23/2009
Giant Eagle is killing small business owners in the name of convienece. What about the 2500 small business owners who will be closing? They can go work for Giant Eagle for $8 hr. I am tired of seiing vacant store fronts up and down Rt 19 because GE killed the competition. Think about it where did the bakeries go, video stores and more. How much did GE pay to Governor Rendells PAC Fund.
Beer at GE : 10/23/2009
I think Giant Eagle is the perfect store to offer it. They can even take monitoring the age limit a step further with their Advantage card combined with a state license.
beer sales : 10/23/2009
To "beer drinking 'lib:'" Ohio shares the same fatality percentage as PA in the source you quoted, and Ohio allows beer sales in supermarkets just like WV, and I think Ohio is a much better comparison to PA than WV.
BEER : 10/23/2009
A supermarket is a supermarket. Not a beer store or wine store. I agree with Pennsylvania. The parking lots are horrible trying to get a handicapped spot and then someone is going to stop there so they can run and get a six-pack. Get Real when your wife ,daughter,son or friend gets killed by a drunk driver are you going to blame them
Got it wrong : 10/23/2009
Just when I thought the big issues of the day were the economy, drugs on the streets, poor education in the public sector, excessive executive compensation, health care reform, ... and then beer at GE trumps them all. Clearly, I need to get with the program, and focus on what is really important. All the gleeful comments here help point me in the right direction. Thank you!
beer in ohio : 10/23/2009
"Roberts said that he didn't think Giant Eagle had put anybody out of business thanks to beer sales at its Ohio stores." Thats because there are not distributors in Ohio. Also, "He added it will offer convenience to customers, so they can do more of their shopping at one stop." I dont see a convienience when the majority of people in this town drink that in a night.
Beer at the GE : 10/24/2009
I can see it now........10 dollars for a six pack of bud light!
beer at GE : 10/24/2009
Is not going to put distributors out of business to many beer drinkers by in bulk. Can't do that at GE yet!
PROSPERITY : 10/24/2009
good to catch the drillers and gas guys while they are here - a six-pack is just what they need to throw into their dufflebag for that long haul of Brine to WV border to dump.
Get Beer N Go : 10/26/2009
Keep the beer out of the stores and sell it in the Get go's
About Time : 10/27/2009
Pennsylvania ranks fourth in the country in total alcohol related traffic fatalities. The death RATE is actually lower in Ohio, Illinois and Colorado, places where I have purchased beer at supermarkets. There will always be a place for WELL RUN distributors (clean up your stores) as supermarket will never offer the same variety. The distributors should be focusing their efforts on changing the law to let them sell six and twelve packs.
Real story : 10/28/2009
This isn't like other states at all.
This IS NOT like other states. : 10/28/2009
Fast Eddie slipped this in in 05'. He changed the laws for stores, but didn't change the I.D.beer distributor laws. They have no territory protection like the other states. Guess who will be supplying the liquor stores with beer.. not distributors, the PLCB (look how much I raised PLCB profits and revenues in our newly remodeled State Stores)Ha. All chain Wal-Mart, Sheetz, etc beer will come from their main warehouse and not the local Master beer distributor who has a now unprotected franchise. The answer is to have protected I.D. distributor territories like all the other states. Eddie was so worried about leaving the D' distributors run boundless all over the state that he (forgot?) to restrict them like the other states. But if he leaves it like it is, the PLCB just needs 1 D' license to cover all of his liquor stores. Answer: restrict the D' distributors like the I.D. distributor licenses like the other states. You revamp from the botom up, not at the end Eddie. This was snuck-in to protect changes in the D' distributor licenses for the P.L.C. B's benefit and other's interests. (brewerys?) to sidestep their Master I.D.'s and have it come from a main warehouse (Wal-Mart in Harrisburg). This has all been planned behind the scenes for years.
Can anyone explain Ralph's Post : 10/28/2009
It has my head spinning. So Ralph, do I puchase beer from the distributor or giant eagle. I am confused.
Booze : 10/29/2009
It's about time that Pennsylvania remove the oppressive Quaker laws that have been limiting our freedoms since the late 1700's.
Giant Eagle : 11/1/2009
"Giant Eagle is killing small business owners in the name of convienece."....yeah, thats what is said about Walmart too. Tell ya what....lets just force any successful larger business to close so that the overpriced Mom&Pop's have no compitation.
Too backwards of a state : 11/1/2009
Lets sell the beer in the GE and GetGos! Also, approve Sunday hunting and being able to buy a car on Sunday would be great!!! PA Government is in the StoneAge.
