Indiana's C-store Retailers Make Their Case for Alcohol Reform

INDIANAPOLIS — Convenience store operators are pushing for change to Indiana's alcohol sales laws. Members of Gov. Eric Holcomb's Alcohol Code Revision Commission gathered at the Indiana Statehouse on Aug. 22 to discuss any topic attendees wanted the commission to address in the short term, reported WTHR.

For Jay Ricker, founder and chairman of Ricker's Convenience Stores, there could only be one topic: cold beer, and who can sell it.

"There are a lot of people who want a lot of different changes. I am trying to keep it simple. It just needs to be cold beer," Ricker said. "If you look at the survey that was done over the state of Indiana cold beer was number one with 71 percent of the people."

He referred to a statewide poll conducted on behalf of the Indiana Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association and touted by "Chill Indiana," the association's advocacy campaign, as CSNews Online reported.

Ricker's itself made news earlier this year when it received liquor licenses at two c-stores that added sit-down foodservice areas. The Indiana government later created a law that will prohibit Ricker's from renewing the licenses unless 60 percent of its alcohol sales are consumed on premises.

"We believe it's time to end the outdated prohibition" on cold beer, said Matt Norris, of the Indiana Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association.

This summer, the two-year legislative study commission is looking at retail permits with a report due Nov. 1, reported the Pharos Tribune. There are 16,297 permits in the state with 60 different designations, including those for restaurants, groceries, excursion boats, hotels or social clubs.

Other types of retailers joined in on lobbying for change. Doug Pendleton, owner of Grapevine Cottage gourmet food and wine shop, which has a grocery license, asked the commission to consider creating a beer and wine permit for shops such as his.

"We've been under constant attack by package liquor stores in the state the entire 18 years we've been open," Pendleton said.

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