Beer and wine won’t be completely disappearing from Pennsylvania store shelves after Tuesday.
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) announced Monday that it will close all of its Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores across the state effective 9 p.m. Tuesday and end all online sales as of 5 o’clock Monday afternoon.
But that’s not expected to affect the availability of wine at major supermarket chains and convenience stores across the state as long as the PLCB’s distribution centers can continue to support direct-deliveries to high-volume retailers selling wine. Expect the same to be true for the supply of beer, which also can continue to be purchased to-go from restaurants.
The PLCB also is informing licensees that public health officials are encouraging all restaurants and bars, including social clubs and non-essential retailers, to close in an effort to mitigate the COVID-19 public health crisis. Businesses are being asked to voluntarily comply with this request in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading further by eliminating social gatherings and public interaction and encouraging social distancing for at least the next two weeks.
The Wolf administration is relying on businesses to act now before the governor or the Secretary of Health finds it necessary to compel closures under the law for the interest of public health, including section 7301 of the Emergency Management Services Code.
Still, how many of those other businesses such as beer distributors will obey today’s announcement is uncertain. While certainly falling under the category of nonessential businesses under the Wolf order, they still have the right to remain open, something both Gene Barr, president of Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, and the state’s House Republicans stressed late Monday afternoon.
That leaves hard liquor as the one item that will be more difficult to find for at least a few weeks, which could add to the lines Tuesday at the Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores around the state.
Here’s a letter the PLCB sent to its licensees today:
"As business operations across Pennsylvania are impacted by efforts to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the PLCB is instituting limited special allowances for licensees.
"Given Governor Wolf’s and public health officials’ recent advice that all nonessential retailers and bars and restaurants across Pennsylvania close for at least the next two weeks, the requirement to place a license in safekeeping when a licensee is not operational for 14 days is suspended indefinitely, as are safekeeping deadlines and related penalties.
"Given operational disruptions that significantly limit the PLCB’s capacity to timely process renewal and validation applications, the PLCB is extending operating authority for all licensees whose license may expire before normal PLCB operations may resume, and all related penalties will be waived. However, again, licensees are strongly encouraged to heed public health officials’ request to cease nonessential operations, limit group gatherings and practice social distancing.
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"In light of the direction that bars and restaurants suspend dine-in service for at least the next two weeks, the PLCB will temporarily adopt lenient measures to enable licensees in those counties to continue selling beer and wine for off-premises consumption.
"Retail licensees – including restaurants, bars, hotels, eating places, grocery stores, convenience stores, etc. – may continue selling beer to go, even in the absence of restaurant operations, and those with wine expanded permits may also continue selling wine to go. There is no change to quantity limits or requirements regarding how sales are to be made. To be clear:
- Quantity limits of 192 ounces of beer and three liters of wine per transaction still apply.
- Sales for wine must still be transacted by RAMP-trained employees according to standard identification requirements at registers previously designated for alcohol sales.
- No special provisions for delivery or curbside service are allowed.
"Additionally, producers including breweries, wineries and distilleries must indefinitely suspend all dine-in service, but they may continue selling their own products for off-premises consumption.
"Clubs and catering clubs must cease all on-premises consumption.
"No other special exceptions or allowances are available at this time.
"Additionally, Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores across Pennsylvania will close effective Tuesday, March 17 at 9 p.m., per the notice below. At this point, there is no interruption to service through the Licensee Delivery Program, so long as our distribution centers can continue to support operations. LDP participants will be notified directly of any changes to the program.
“Thank you for your patience and understanding in these unprecedented times, and we wish you, your families and your community health and safety.”
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