Total Wine has never shied away from entering a new state due to the state’s current alcohol regulations. Instead, the country’s largest alcoholic beverage retailer takes a more active approach in working to change state laws that don’t fit their model. It’s a “Don’t like the law, then change it” approach, and it’s working.
The company has successfully challenged longstanding alcohol laws in need of being reviewed or changed from as long ago as the prohibition era. This is where it helps to be the largest alcoholic beverage retailer in the country, through a mix of litigation, lobbying and rallying support from customers and consumers Total Wine has been successful in getting certain state laws changed.
Here are a few of their “wins”:
Minnesota, Delaware, Georgia and South Carolina didn’t use to allow Sunday sales, they do now.
Connecticut liquor stores are now able to stay open 1 hour later every day of the week.
South Carolina last month removed it’s cap on the number of licenses a retailer could hold.
Source: Beer Business Daily, May 2017