Latest News

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Safeway first grocer in city to open Liquor Mart

By: Geoff Kirbyson

Posted: 12/6/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 12/6/2012 3:59 PM | Updates

A new Liquor Mart Express opened this week at the Safeway store on Pembina Highway between Markham and Chancellor. (BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

Related Items

Articles
- Private Ontario liquor stores will benefit consumers

A litre of milk, a loaf of bread, a stick of butter and a bottle of rum.

Or wine or beer.

The Pembina Village Safeway store is the first grocer in the city to open a Liquor Mart Express.

The Manitoba Liquor Control Commission-operated store-within-a-store had a soft opening on Monday and will have an official ribbon cutting on Friday.

The mini-liquor stores -- an undetermined number will be opened in Winnipeg and Brandon -- will be different from the coffee shops or floral kiosks that have grown in number in grocery stores in recent years. They will be separate stores, complete with their own four walls and cash registers.

Because of their smaller footprint -- it's estimated they will range in size from 600 to 1,500 square feet -- they won't be able to stock the same breadth of product as traditional liquor stores, but each will offer a selection of beer, wine and spirits.

John Graham, spokesman for Calgary-based Canada Safeway, said it's not too much of a stretch for the company because it already sells liquor in stores elsewhere in North America, including Alberta. Safeway also has plenty of experience dealing with controlled substances as its pharmacies handle prescription medication of all kinds and its stores sell tobacco products.

"This is a natural extension of providing convenience for busy customers who may be making multiple stops. If we can provide access to the most popular (liquor) products at our store, we think that will provide a natural draw to the Pembina Village location," he said.

The MLCC issued a request for proposals late last year for grocers interested in having Liquor Mart Express locations built within their stores.

The idea was to add convenience for consumers, primarily in the southwest and northeast parts of town that are under-serviced by full-size MLCC locations.

The goal isn't to compete with existing liquor retailers, including private wine stores, the MLCC said at the time. An MLCC spokesman wasn't available for comment on Wednesday.

Graham said the Liquor Mart Express at the Pembina Village store is presently a "project of one" but Safeway is interested in hosting liquor outlets in other stores where it makes sense for both parties. The challenge for Safeway, however, is many of its existing locations are already within a stone's throw of MLCC outlets.

The MLCC's stipulation that no express outlet be built within a two-kilometre radius of its full-service stores immediately eliminates a significant number of Safeway stores from any expansion plans.

The MLCC opened its first express location at the Richardson International Airport year ago.

geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 6, 2012 B5

History

Updated on Thursday, December 6, 2012 at 9:44 AM CST: replaces photo

3:59 PM: Safeway is the first grocer in Winnipeg to open a Liquor Mart. Several grocery stores across the province sell liquor.

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Latest News

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.