Legislation to codify a current state regulation on how many retail alcohol sales outlets locate in a wet city or county is headed to the full senate. The matter attracted much attention in the Senate Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations Committee.
The current regulation sets out a limit of one package liquor store for every 2300 people. The State Alcoholic Beverage Control Board proposes removing that cap. Pineville liquor store operator Colby Slusher says box stores might be able to offer product at a penny over cost. “And they’re able to get people through their doors and eventually within a two to three year period all the mom and pops be out of business,” said Slusher.
Testifying against the senate measure was J.D. Chaney with the Kentucky League of Cities. “There are few issues more intimate to a local community than the sale of alcoholic beverages,” noted Chaney.
Chaney added for several years city leaders across the state have expressed frustration with the state mandated quota system. Bill Sponsor Jimmy Higdon says there’s not a great demand to open up the alcoholic retail sales market.
