Wine with Food Petition

The Kentucky Grocers Association has a website, http://www.foodwithwine.org, where you can sign a petition. It offers several good arguments for the change in the law. For me, the most important argument (not mentioned on the website) is that it would allow my favorite grocer, Trader Joe's, to come to Louisville. The law that was proposed in 2008 had a bias in favor of big-box grocery stores, and I don't think TJ's would have qualified. I asked the Chairman of the Food With Wine coalition about this and he assured me that Trader Joe's would qualify under the amendment they are pushing. He also said he had spoken with the Trader Joe's CEO, who said they would not come to a state where they could not sell wine in the grocery store.

So, in sum, if you are among the many who want Trader Joe's to come to Louisville, sign this petition! It's not just about the wine.... (And to those who own small wine shops and liquor stores, I pledge to patronize you as much as ever. If I end up buying some Two Buck Chuck while at TJ's, then I will just have to increase my overall consumption accordingly).

Its a tough thing. I can certainly see both sides of the issue. But, can't you sell wine in Indiana grocery stores? I know the Whole Foods in Indianapolis sells wine in store. Not sure if its a statewide law. But, if it is, maybe Todd from The Keg could chime in with how it has affected his store. Todd, you out there?

Warm beer, wine and liquor is available for sale in any grocery store that has a pharmacy in Indiana. You can also buy warm beer and wine at a grocery store with no pharmacy.... I guess the pharmacist makes it ok to sell alcohol

I'm sure a generous portion of my wine sales goes to Wal-mart, Kroger, Target, Sam's, as well as alcohol and beer sales. I am surrounded by box stores in Clarksville. When box stores are allowed to play the game under a different set of rules than I do, such as they can in Indiana, it puts a smaller store at a significant disadvantage. If they made Kroger, etc follow the same rules I do, I would have no problem with them carrying any product. The fact that they do not have to have a separate section for alcohol, and are allowed to display/sell it anywhere in their store, whereas you must be 21 to walk in my store; the fact that anyone 18 and older can sell alcohol in their store with no training or permits, where my people must be 21, trained and buy a permit from the state; They can stock just about any product they want to in their stores, and I'm restricted severely on what I can carry; They get their alcohol vendors in their store every day to stock their shelves; I get everything dropped off in my back stock room... one day a week. Even the playing field, let us work under the same rules, and I'm fine with it.... aside from when they sell alcohol at or under cost to lure you in... that really sucks!

Yet again, another issue where the dear folks in Frankfort are dragging their feet. Gotta love it.