Convenience and grocery stores in Colorado to sell full strength beer

For 85 years, buying beer at a Colorado gas station or grocery store has meant sacrificing strength for convenience, but not anymore. At the start of 2019, those stores will be able to sell beer with an alcohol content higher than 3.2 percent.

The state will join dozens of others that allow gas stations and grocery stores to have all kinds of beers on their shelves along with higher alcohol percentages. It’s a new convenience that many are looking forward to.

While customers seem to be happy about it, liquor store owners have their doubts. Gregor Huesgen owns Downtown Fine Spirits and Wines in Colorado Springs. He expects a lot of stores to close by the end of 2020 because of the new law.

“About a third of all liquor stores will be going out of business within 12 months,” says Huesgen.

He says his store should be O.K. since the majority of what he sells isn’t beer, but for others, it’s a different story. Especially for stores located right next to gas stations and grocery stores.

“They [grocery stores] will try to run beer on special for the first few months to show what they can do,” Huesgen explains, “then drive the liquor stores next to them out of business and pick up their license for cheap.”

This then leaves smaller stores hoping that customer loyalty will count for something.

KRDO also learned Thursday night that a few retailers will keep selling 3.2 percent beer but most will no longer stock it and are actually trying to get rid of the supplies they have right now.