Private Liquor Stores

Ontario's beer, wine & hard liquor system is more or less controlled by the major breweries or the government. I don't have alot of use for the beer store; it always seemed to be sorta dumpy and not a place you'd want to browse & walk around. The liquor store, known as the LCBO, was different, usually very large, with a huge selection and very clean and pleasant. There wasn't alot of them in the city, but you could trust them to carry what you drank. They also had lousy hours, some closing as early as 6 PM on weeknights, but most open till 9 or 10.

In Alberta it's private. I've seen dozens of liquor stores in this city, some large, some holes in the wall, some very cheap, some not so cheap. Unlike in Ontario, prices vary from shop to shop, so you need to pay attention. The prices aren't much different, except for the lowest priced beer which is very cheap, sometimes 3.99 for a 6 pack. Assuming you like crap beer.

I'm not sure what system I like. I went to a store today to pick up a 6, and it was open 7 days a week to midnight. No more of that scheduling your life around when the liquor store is open. It's definitely more convenient. Yet, the stores do not have the selection and this is an issue if you like microbrewery beer (which I do). Shelf space is limited, so therefore it makes more sense to carry popular products rather than obscure beer by small breweries. The LCBO staff are skilled at "alcohol", and the selection is amazing. But the hours suck & you need to drive a lengthy distance to find a liquor store.

At this moment, I admit to liking the convenience. Tonight at 7 25, I thought, I could use a 6 to have with dinner. The local liquor store was open. That wouldn't have happened in Ontario.