Tennessee Convenience Stores Seek Inclusion on Wine Bill

Expanding wine sales in Tennessee should go beyond just supermarkets, the Tennessee Fuel and Convenience Store Association maintains.

January 31, 2014

MARYVILLE – As Tennessee lawmakers debate a bill to allow cities and counties to hold an independent referendum to authorize selling wine at supermarkets, convenience stores are seeking inclusion on the bill that for now excludes them and big box retailers, The Daily Times and Associated Press report.

“Our membership wants an inclusive bill,” said Tennessee Fuel and Convenience Store Association Executive Director Emily LeRoy, whose organization supports last year’s version of the bill that would accommodate convenience stores and big box stores.

David McMahan, a lobbyist for the Tennessee Wine and Spirits Retailers Association, said restricting wine sales to traditional supermarkets would fulfill the public demand for picking up a bottle while grocery shopping while also protecting the competitive interests of the state’s estimated 600 liquor stores.

“The groups I represent for the first time in eight years are willing to find a solution to create a business environment they can continue to prosper in,” he said.

Tommy Hunt, CEO of Maryville-based E-Z Stop Foodmarts, said he just wants to be able to compete on a level playing field as the marketplace evolves.

“We just want to make the public aware that we would like to be included in the bill. We don’t think it’s fair if grocery stores have wine and we don’t, because we’re competing,” Hunt said. “Obviously, the grocery stores are going to sell much more than we do. But it’s a category we still want to be able to compete in, if at all possible. If the stuff will sell, we’ll have it in the store. If it doesn’t, we won’t.

The proposed law allows liquor stores to expand their offerings and include cigarettes, beer and food — direct competition to convenience stores.

Under current Tennessee law, supermarkets and convenience stores can sell beer containing up to 6.5% alcohol by volume. Anything stronger can only be sold in package stores.

Hunt said that five of the states contiguous to Tennessee already allow wine sales in grocery and convenience stores. “So from the tourism aspect, we probably need the change. Am I asking for it? Not really, but if it does happen I want to be able to throw my hat in the ring and fight just like everybody else.”

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement