PLCB’s Biggest Store Opening In Shadyside Neighborhood

Locator map with the Shadyside neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania highlighted. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pennsylvania’s largest wine and spirits store, a 17,000-square-foot mega-outlet, will officially debut today in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood.

The renovated store, built around an existing state store at 5956 Penn Circle South, has been enlarged by about 35 percent, LCB officials said.

The larger, more upscale store is opening in an area experiencing residential, retail and restaurant growth for several years.

With that upswing continuing, LCB officials have pinned their hopes on history repeating itself with the renovated space. The agency has seen sales typically increase about 20 percent to 35 percent at revamped stores, in part because the layout and organization of products encourages shoppers to browse longer, according to officials.

Read more: http://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/6642390-74/store-lcb-stores#ixzz3B2vjsvkw
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Corbett Proposes Overhaul To State Liquor Control System

English: Interior of a Super Sheetz in Altoona, PA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The private businesses that would get the chance to sell beer, wine and liquor under Gov. Tom Corbett‘s proposed overhaul of the state liquor control system had mixed reactions to the proposal.

Eric White, spokesman for the Berks-based Redner’s Warehouse Markets, which also runs the Redner’s Quick Shoppes convenience stores, said the chain almost certainly would have to get into the beer business just to stay competitive with its rivals.

Lou Sheetz, executive vice president of the family-owned Sheetz chain based in Altoona, said the company loves the idea, is excited about it and believes consumers will be, too.

“We have been proponents of adult beverage sales reform in this state for a long time,” he said.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=447580

Pennsylvania’s State-Store System Touts Record Booze Sales

Image via Wikipedia

Looks like a bad economy is great for the booze biz.  The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced that last fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2011, ended with record-breaking profits.  Nearly two BILLION dollars worth of alcohol was sold at Pennsylvania’s state-run Wine and Spirits stores.

It was further reported that the state-store system made a profit of $496 million, which was dumped into Pennsylvania’s coffers.  The PLCB is trying to run the state liquor stores more like a business.  WOW, what an outside of the box concept!