Sales good on Bainbridge Island on first day of private liquor sales

As one door closes, another opens.

The days of state-run liquor stores in Washington have come to an end. Friday, June 1 marked the first day of private sales of spirits and Bainbridge Island stores were ready.

Dale Reichert, store manager for Rite Aid on High School Road, said that the first day of spirit sales was going well and by noon they were already selling bottles off their shelves.

Reichert spent his day organizing the store's aisle dedicated to the new products, hanging signage and setting up displays. The store opted to shuffle around product instead of remodeling the aisles.

"We had to re-merchandise the existing area to accommodate it," Reichert said.

Reichert said that the alcohol aisle will be a bit of an experiment at first as the company gauges what customers prefer.

The first bottles on the store's shelves were mainly name brands.

Safeway's lineup was no different Friday, but the store was in the spirit of the opening day with fully stocked shelves ready for customers to peruse.

"It is going really well," said Sarah Osborne of Safeway. "We are all a little surprised at how will liquor is selling, actually."

Safeway had previously remodeled the southern end of their store to make room for new product.

Town & Country Market on Winslow Way has not yet jumped on board the spirited bandwagon, though the market is planning to offer liquor, in addition to its beer and wine sales, very soon. Town & Country manager Rick Petersen couldn't point to an exact date for when his store will begin stocking liquor, but he estimated that it will be within approximately two weeks.

 

Contact Bainbridge Island Review Staff Writer Richard D. Oxley at roxley@bainbridgereview.com or (206) 842-6613.

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