Walgreens wants to sell liquor in all its Peoria stores, but only three of them come before the City Council tonight. The Walgreens locations at 4814 N. Sheridan Rd., 1919 W. Pioneer Parkway, and 2324 W. War Memorial Dr. are requesting approval to sell package liquor. Earlier this month, the City’s Liquor Commission voted 3-1 to recommend approval.
Two Walgreen’s stores at 2515 N. Knoxville Ave. and 3524 N. University St. are not included yet because, according to the Liquor Commission minutes, “the District 2 Councilperson wanted to hold neighborhood association meetings in that District before those site applications were submitted.” In March 2008, the City Council denied (on an 8-2 vote) a package liquor license for Wal-Mart, just down the street from Walgreens on University. The reasons given were neighborhood opposition, concern over potential crime, and concern over expansion of liquor sales.
Walgreens wants to sell liquor “because of customer demand for their convenience, so they can make one stop on their way home as opposed to having to stop at another store,” the Liquor Commission minutes stated.
I was an assistant manager in a Walgreens store back in the early 90’s when it was decided to REMOVE beer/wine/liquor from the inventory.
I was not involved in the liquor section directly so I do not know what the margins are on it. I suspect they are quite high.
At the time, the elimination of alcohol sales was explained this way.
1. Walgreens is a “healthcare provider” and the alcohol sales ran counter to that image. *
2. The elimination of alcohol sales left more room for grocery items – because of customer demand for the convenience, so they can make one stop on their way home as opposed to having to stop at another store.
*At the time, I was told that the next step would be no longer selling tobacco.
Because I *know* that alcohol sales continued in other stores (ex: Chicago area), I realized that this was a DISTRICT policy. Perhaps this district has gotten a new District Manager or a new impetus has come down from Corporate.
I hated having the liquor section because it attracted a LOT of shoplifting. (After the fact, I realized that one family was using the baby carrier to steal vodka – using the baby as camouflage.)
I also hated the legal exposure. We had a (very dumb) clerk get busted during a sting operation.
I also hated it when the old lady who came in every other day with the shakes for her flask of Jim Beam. Hated it even more when she had her granddaughter with her.
I understand what Walgreens is doing. They are trying to shore up a weakening front end (The Pharmacy itself is considered the ‘back end’ of the store since the counters are usually in the back). People are walking past the gum, magazine, cosmetics and deodorant when they pick up their prescriptions (or using drive-through). In a rough economy, I know alcohol sales actually tick up, slightly, while everything else goes down. I completely understand the logic.
I like the dividend checks I get every quarter from Walgreens (I own less than 100 shares) but Walgreens is a strong company. They don’t need this.
We always get messages not to drink alcohol when taking precription medicine. Meds and alcohol simply don’t mix. So sales of meds and alcohol in same store should not be allowed, in my opinion. Period.