A proposal to allow wine sales in Tennessee’s retail stores has stalled in the Legislature, while a supermarket and Sheetz store in Pennsylvania are trying to work out the bugs in that state’s interpretation of liquor-license regulations, according to Associated Press reports.
The bill in Tennessee would allow an applicant to receive a "wine at food store" license from the state’s alcoholic beverage commission if the retailer is located in a county or city that allows the sale of alcohol.
However, the bill was deferred in the State Senate on Tuesday to allow for more discussion.
In Pennsylvania, a beer distributors’ association has asked a court to overturn a decision to allow Wegmans Food Markets Inc. to sell beer at six Pennsylvania supermarkets. The company received liquor licenses last week for the stores, The Altoona Mirror reported.
Pennsylvania’s liquor laws impose conditions on certain types of liquor licenses, such as requiring food to be sold on the premises and minimum seating capacities..
Wegmans’ supermarkets have cafes that qualify for "restaurant" licenses, allowing alcohol to be sold for consumption inside the eating establishment, though opponents say it’s a violation of the state’s laws.
Sheetz Inc. will also be appealing the rejection of takeout-beer sales at the Sheetz convenience store in Altoona, where the company is headquartered. A lower court said the sales at the Altoona Sheetz were illegal because the license the company has requires some of the beer to be sold for on-premises consumption, according to The Mirror.
Sheetz appealed the rejection of its plan to sell takeout beer, and an oral argument is scheduled before the state Supreme Court on April 17, the newspaper reported. Beer has been sold at the Altoona Sheetz store since Aug. 28.
