Gov’t set to close another liquor store

By CHUCK POULSEN Friday, October 20, 2006 http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/article_3384.php
It’s closing time for good for another government liquor store in Kelowna.The outlet at Gordon Drive just off Highway 97 will shut down in January, the third of five government stores in Kelowna to close since the government opened the door to private stores – and higher prices for consumers.“There are a lot of unhappy people who work here, and unhappy customers,” said an employee at the Gordon Drive store. The employee asked not to be named. “We’ve been here for years and do a fair business, so no one understands why it’s closing.“We deal with a lot of seniors who come in wheelchairs or walkers. There is camaraderie between them and the people who work here. “These are people who often need some help, and we’re happy to give it to them. They’re irate about it. Are they supposed to speed down the highway in a wheelchair to Orchard Park?”The employee noted there are a large number of condos being built in the downtown and that the Safeway store on Bernard is expanding to accommodate more residents moving into the area.“There are going to be a lot more condos built around the Capri and a lot more seniors,” he said. “It doesn’t make any sense to close this store.”The employee said store workers are under threat of suspension if they speak out about the closure.However, Jay Chambers, spokesman for the Liquor Distribution Branch, said that while employees have been “instructed not to comment” on the closing, “no one has been threatened with suspension.”Chambers said the emphasis will be shifted from Gordon to the expanded store in Mission Park.“We are amalgamating the (Gordon) store with the one in Mission Park, which is being turned into what we call a signature store,” said Chambers. Chambers said the Mission Park store, at 10,000 square feet, will be similar to the signature store at Orchard Park, although not quite as large.He said all regular employees at Gordon will have the option of transferring to Mission Park. The guarantees do not apply to part-time staff, although they will have shifts as demand dictates, he said.There are plenty of private stores in Kelowna, but The Daily Courier couldn’t find one that matched the government’s prices for beer. A random check for 12 bottles of Labatt, Canadian or Budweiser, tax and deposit included, found the following prices for government stores and five private outlets: government stores, $19.95; Caps, $23.65; OK Corral. $20.25; Brandt’s Creek, $23.55; Central Park, $21.70; O’Flannigan’s, $23.10. The Gordon store employee said they had heard one report of a private store charging $3 more than the government store for a six-pack of beer.The private stores buy products from the Liquor Distribution Branch at 13 per cent below the cost in the government stores.Steven Howard, spokesman for the B.C. Government Employees Union, which represents government liquor store clerks, said the private stores pay employees between the minimum wage of $8 per hour and $10 per hour.BCGEU liquor store workers, depending on classification and seniority, make $14-$21 per hour. The Consumers’ Association of Canada, B.C. branch, surveyed prices in March and found that the consumer is paying up to 35 per cent more for liquor in the private stores.“Consumers are now paying millions more each year for beer, wine and liquor due to the dramatic increase in the number of private liquor stores across the province,” said Bruce Cran, president of the Consumers’ Association.He said that hundreds of new private liquor stores have opened over the last three years while government stores are being closed.“This action has resulted in consumers paying up to 35 per cent higher prices at private stores,” said Cran. “The only good news for consumers is that they can now purchase liquor, beer and wine at 10 p.m. on a Sunday night, which they couldn’t do before.” He said the “irony” of the private liquor store approach is that the government promised consumers they would reap the benefits of competition. “To date, consumers can only cry in their beer over higher prices,” he said.Myra Petrak says she has shopped at the Gordon store for 20 years and doesn’t want to see it closed.“I’m very upset about this,” she said. “This store is always so clean and the people are so friendly and helpful. There is nothing good about this for the customers.“A lot of people who live around here are getting older and they should be able to keep coming here.”The government had previously closed stores in the downtown and Rutland.