AMHERST - Allowing convenience stores to sell beer and wine would allow them to remain competitive against bigger stores, says the owner of an Amherst store.
Mike LeBlanc, owner of Mike's Drive Thru and Convenience Store on South Albion Street, said stores such as his need help and allowing beer and wine sales would be a step in the right direction.
"With bigger stores being able to stay open seven days a week, with most of them carrying items that would be sold in convenience stores, takes away from convenience store sales. It leaves us looking for ways to attract customers," LeBlanc said.
A couple of ways LeBlanc has found to attract customers is to have a tanning bed on site along with the convenience of drive-thru service.
Earlier this week, Sid Chedrawe, president of the Independent Food Stores Association, said small store owners are losing the battle to gas stations and larger chain stores that are now selling many of the items that used to be the corner store's domain, including chips, candy bars, lottery tickets and small grocery items.
He said beer and wine sales would open up another revenue stream for many storeowners struggling to stay open.
LeBlanc said convenience stores sell tobacco products and lottery tickets that are regulated so that identification is required, and feels the sale of beer and wine products could be handled in the same fashion.
"I would certainly make the necessary accommodations for the sale of beer and wine products. The fact that I have a drive-thru would certainly attract customers for such products," LeBlanc said.
It's unlikely the province will move in that direction, with Len Goucher, the minister responsible for the liquor corporation, saying the province is adequately served by government-run liquor stores as well as privately-operated agency stores and private wine shops.
It's also opposed by the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union, and not all storeowners are on board.
Tony Wood, son of Highland Market owner Rod Wood, said the sale of beer and wine probably isn't something the store would get into for a couple of reasons.
"We simply wouldn't have the space and with having a couple cashiers who are under 19 years of age would create problems with the cashiers not being able to sell the products," Wood said.
Not ruling out whether or not the store would sell the products, Wood said they would look at regulations that would be implemented that would encompass the sale of beers and wines, and make a decision if there were such a possibility.
