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WINE-IN-GROCERY -STORES ----- FACT SHEET <br /> 1 , MINNESOTA'S EXCLUSIVE LIQUOR STORES ARE DOING, AN EXCELLENT JOB OF MARKETING <br /> WINE RESPONSIBLY : <br /> A. Extremely Broad Selection --- Competitive Pricing --- Warm Atmosphere --- <br /> Attractive Wine Department Fixturing --- Large Percentage of Overall Floor <br /> Space Devoted to Wine ; <br /> B. Helpful , Professionally Trained Sales Assistance ; <br /> C. A High Percentage of Store Personnel are Women which accounts for a <br /> typical Customer Count of Over 60% Women ; and <br /> D. Exclusive Liquor Stores DO NOT WANT TO GO INTO THE CHEESE OR GROCERY BUSINESS. <br /> 2. WINE (like beer, spirits- & cordials) IS AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE THAT MUST BE TAXED, <br /> CONTROLLED & REGULATED LIKE AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE; <br /> A. The issue is not whether wine is a food but whether wine is an alcoholic <br /> beverage; <br /> 1 ) Wine has no more food value than beer or spirits or cordials ; <br /> 2) Medically, all beverage alcohol is viewed as providing only "empty <br /> calories" ; <br /> 3) Beverage alcohol is not a substitute , nor efficient source of food; <br /> B. Wine is taxed, both federally and locally as beverage alcohol , not food; and <br /> C. Wine sales are controlled by the; Alcohol Control Boards in all 50 states . <br /> 3. LIQUOR CONTROL POLICIES ARE BEST DETERMINED AT A STATE-WIDE LEVEL: <br /> A. State government is far better prepared than local city councils to gather <br /> and evaluate all the facts necessary to consider the consequences of <br /> liquor control policy: <br /> B. So-Called "local option" does not work; <br /> 1 ) Local option has failed in Sunday opening; <br /> flLocal option has become "local blackmail" in 10:00 P.M. Friday Closings ; <br /> Local option does not work in competitive community and suburban <br /> situations ; <br /> 4) Wine is not the proper weapon for contiguous border wars; <br /> 5) Local option has been a hideous failure in Chicago; <br /> 6) Wine alcohol control policy is not a fitting subject for. intense <br /> political pressure on local governments where many a councilmember tan <br /> be a grocer, liquor dealer etc. <br /> 4. GROCERY NINE SALES ARE INHERENTLY MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THAN EXCLUSIVE LIQUOR <br /> STORE WINE SALES . <br /> A. Package liquor stores are almost always-, one-owner-operated businesses- - - <br /> where the force of the liquor control commissions can. be overwhelming; <br /> B. Grocery-'stores are often highly organized as large chains where the <br /> threat of closing a single store for illegal wines sales has a mimimal <br /> threat on overall operations; <br /> C. Grocers are structured with strong ties between Producers, Wholesalers , <br /> . and Retailers --- many of which relationships are illegal in the carefully <br /> controlled Three-Tier System of liquor control; <br /> D. Minnesota's Liquor Control Commission lacks the budget and manpower to <br /> handle a potential 300%increase is outlets for wine -- especially for <br /> outlets not experienced with the special problems of selling alcoholic <br /> beverages . <br />