Have to admit not having completely read all such posts, but am here to add that years ago Iowa not only had state owned/controlled liquor stores, but each qualified buyer (21 yrs) was issued a ration book which was shown and duly noted by the clerk at the time of purchase. I remember my Dad having a "liquor book" that had its share of entries. It was cheaper (no tax) than driving the 12 miles from our home to the Missouri state line and using up some 23 cent gas. Beer (3.2% alcohol) could be bought in local bars and grocery stores. This has since completely changed. All freely available.
Jack --- Scott Loveless <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Stan Halpin wrote: > > The mind boggles when trying to understand the variation in liquor > > > pricing and availability within the U.S. > > > > In the U.S., some states, like North Carolina and Virginia are > > blessed with state-run liquor stores. In those states there is no > > option but to buy your spirits from the state-run ABC (or distill > > your own). But wine (sometimes, some states) and beer are in the > > grocery stores, the "quick stop" stores, etc. The states, in their > > > beneficence, do not provide low prices for their goods, but the > mark- > > up is not too exorbitant either. In Missouri, when I moved there 24 > > > years ago, I could buy spirits, wine, and beer in any grocery > store, > > as long as it wasn't Sunday. At the time, across the river in > Kansas, > > you couldn't buy anything beyond watered-down beer anywhere except > an > > ABC store, nor could you buy alcoholic drinks in a public > restaurant. > > Which led to the fiction of many many "private clubs" restricted in > > > membership to those who could walk or wheel through the door and > pay > > $1 for a membership. Now I can buy anything anywhere at any time > in > > Kansas and Missouri, except that spirits are still controlled by > the > > ABC in Kansas. At very decent prices in my Missouri stores (with > > single malts, for example, often lower than prices at duty-free > shops > > in Heathrow). In Michigan where I frequently travel, the anything/ > > anywhere rules apply, except before noon on Sunday and then it is > > nothing/nowhere. > > This is one of the many things I miss about Missouri. Being able to > walk into any liquor, grocery or convenience store and buy whatever I > > wanted was nice. Here in the People's Republic (Pennsylvania) the > State > has a very tight grip on liquor distribution. I read somewhere that > PA > is the world's 2nd largest alcohol buyer. You would think, with > their > buying power, that booze would be a bit more reasonable. To the > contrary, they levy an 18.5% liquor tax on top of the normal sales > tax. > Yay for PA! Not only am I overcharged, my selection is at the > mercy > of what the Liquor Control Board decides to stock. > > Beer is a little different, but still inconvenient. I have to go to > a > beer "distributor" and can only buy by the case. Selection is often > limited in the smaller stores. Beer can be purchased in take-out six > > packs from local bars - at bar prices. Whee! > > The LCB also regulates the number of licenses for restaurants. I > have > never lived anywhere else that had restaurants with BYOB signs on the > door. > > In Missouri I could go grocery shopping and come home with wine, > whisky > and all the beer I wanted - all from 1 store. Here, that would > involve > at least 3 stores, costs considerably more and pisses me off to no > end. > For a blue state, PA is a bit too conservative for my tastes. > </rant> > > -- > Scott Loveless > http://www.twosixteen.com/fivetoedsloth/ > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above > and follow the directions. > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
