• jbrains@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    31
    ·
    edit-2
    4 days ago

    In Canada, we have provinces with government-run liquor stores and provinces without.

    I live in a province with government-run liquor stores and frequently visit two that have privately-run ones. The privately-run ones are typically dingier, have less selection, and the selection they have is lower-quality. So far I have visited only one privately-run liquor store that I actually like. Out of ten.

    Yes, that could just be bad luck, but I’ve only visited one government-run liquor store that felt depressing and where I disliked the selection… Out of dozens.

    Draw whatever conclusions make you happy.

    • Boomer Humor Doomergod@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      4 days ago

      Pennsylvania has a similar setup and while other states’ liquor stores can occasionally be nicer, they are on average less nice, especially when the area isn’t as rich.

      • jbrains@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        4 days ago

        Indeed. Unsurprisingly, the one privately-run liquor store I have loved is in an upscale (but not wealthy) plaza in un upscale part of the city. It’s very clean and has a loooooong fine wines fridge. The rest are underwhelming, frequently dimly-lit, and even difficult to walk around in (very narrow aisles).

    • Spuddlesv2@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      3 days ago

      I’m confused. Why does the government have to run the booze shops? I’m Australian and I cannot imagine what need there is for public ownership. Are you talking about very very remote or rural places?

      • 666dollarfootlong@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        3 days ago

        At least here in Finland we have government monopoly stores selling alcohol above 8% abv. I don’t mind it, I think it makes sense that the government is the one profiting off of harmful substances. I do wish I could buy wine in grocery stores, but then again most of the government liquor stores are right next to grocery stores anyway.

      • jack_of_sandwich@lemmy.sdf.org
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        3 days ago

        I grew up in a state with government run liquor stores (Pennsylvania), can confirm that they always seemed clean, safe and well run. (The annoying thing was beer being sold at entirely separate businesses)

        Aa to why? I think they wanted to micromanage alcohol sales, presumably prohibition era thinking.

      • jbrains@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        3 days ago

        Why? I don’t know. Very very remote or rural places? Not exclusively.

        Need? I don’t know, but it would seem to avoid the things we’ve been talking about: race to the bottom with cost cutting, catering primarily to addicts, wide disparity in quality between affluent areas and low-income areas.