Colorado customers can celebrate the new year by purchasing full-strength beer at convenience and grocery stores.
Colorado c-store customers will finally be able to purchase full-strength beer starting Jan. 1, when a change in state law goes into effect.
Currently, Colorado c-stores are limited by a 3.2 beer law—a Prohibition-era restriction that prevents most stores from selling full-strength beer.
According to the Denver Post, at 8 a.m. on Jan. 1, convenience and grocery stores with beer licenses can start selling full-strength beer. Grocery and convenience stores can also start delivering beer, like liquor stores in the state already do. In addition, a limited number of grocery stores will also be allowed to sell liquor and wine. Some 1,600 stores will automatically have their licenses upgraded.
Steve Findley, head of the Colorado Beer Distributors Association told the Denver Post, c-stores and grocery stores are likely to grow their beer orders by a cumulative 30% in 2019.
Liquor store owners, by contrast, are expecting a hit as competition for beer sales expands in the state.