Some N.S. corner stores looking to get into the booze game
A newspaper is simply one of many gadgets clients can get on the Hydrostone Groceria in Halifax. One factor they don’t have, nevertheless, is alcohol.
“We don’t hear it all the time,” says worker Derek Ross. “But it’s something that especially people that come from away, stop into the store and say, ‘Do you guys sell beer or wine?’ And then they’re surprised that we don’t.”
There is a rising motion to vary that, particularly after the Ontario authorities introduced Thursday that customers will quickly be capable of purchase beer, wine, and coolers at grocery and comfort shops in that province by 2026.
“We want to make sure that we are in line with everybody else in the world and across Canada,” Premier Doug Ford says.
New Brunswick is the one Maritime province that gives booze gross sales outdoors of provincially-run shops.
“People of the province would want it,” says Mike Hammoud, Atlantic vice chairman of the Canadian Convenience Store Industry, which has been lobbying governments for years to permit alcohol to hit the cabinets right here.
A Halifax comfort retailer is pictured. (Source: Jonathan MacInnis/CTV News Atlantic)
“We’ve done some polling over the years and the polling has been very positive and has increased here after year,” says Hammoud. “I think the number right now is somewhere in the mid-70s range of support.”
Customers and nook retailer workers appear to agree.
“I would say I’m in favour. I think it would make it more accessible for the general population,” says Benjamin Boylan.
“It’s just nice to be able to pop in somewhere and get everything you need in one stop and it’ll definitely help having another product in store,” provides Derek Ross.
To soothe issues over doubtlessly rising the provision of alcohol to the general public, Hammoud says they’re open to selling social duty campaigns inside their shops. The resolution to supply booze doesn’t appear imminent, nevertheless. No talks are at the moment deliberate with the province to permit handy shops so as to add one other product to their cabinets.
