ALLENTOWN - Should Pennsylvania get out of the wine and spirits business as Governor Tom Corbett has proposed, grocery and convenience store chains are "ready to pounce," The Morning Call writes.

"We are certainly prepared, should the privatization proposal move forward, because we have the infrastructure to begin selling beer and wine in our stores," said Chris Brand, spokesman for Giant supermarkets. "We already do it in states where it's permitted by law."

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett has offered a proposal to privatize alcohol sales in the state, a plan that would replace the state??s 600 stores with 1,200 wine and liquor retailers and expand beer and wine sales into convenience stores, supermarkets and big-box stores.

Under Corbett??s plan, beer and wine sales would be available to supermarkets, convenience stores and drug stores that obtain a license. Those stores would be able to purchase a license to sell customers up to a 12-pack of beer and six bottles of wine.

Louie Sheetz, chairman of the Pennsylvania Food Marketing Association and executive vice president of marketing at Sheetz, has praised Corbett's plan.

Meanwhile, beer distributors staunchly oppose Corbett??s plan, maintaining that their livelihoods are at stake. "If you add the Walmarts and the Costcos and Sam's Clubs of the world, you will put those 1,200 beer distributors out of business," said Jeff Barber, a partner in Allentown's Wise Guys' Beer Depot.