Little fuss about Walgreens liquor

Drawing the line on the number of liquor licenses in a town is sometimes less than a 200-proof proposition.

Just ask the folks in York, Neb.

City Administrator Jack Vavra said a local grocery store once painted a red line across the width of the store, in order to comply with a rule that alcohol sales could not be within 150 feet of a church.

Vavra recalled that episode as he and the City Council prepare for tonight's public hearing on Walgreens' application to sell beer and wine at its York drugstore.

He expects the application to generate little opposition and to receive a state license.

“When the first (outlets) do it, it stirs more controversy,'' Vavra said. “But here, the grocery stores have it (alcohol), Walmart has it and the convenience stores have it. I don't think this is seen as that unusual.''

Walgreens is seeking liquor licenses for 52 stores in 17 communities across Nebraska under an initiative to bring alcohol back to its shelves across the United States. In Iowa, 63 Walgreens already sell beer and wine, including the three in Council Bluffs.

So far, the Nebraska applications have generated little opposition as they've come on tap at hearings across the state — except in Omaha, where the City Council last month approved only six of 20 liquor licenses the drugstore chain requested.

At Norfolk's hearing last month, some people said they were concerned about allowing alcohol to be purchased from a drugstore. The city council there followed its standard procedure and passed the application along to the state with no recommendation either way.

“We don't say yes or no because it doesn't carry a lot of weight,'' said City Administrator Al Roder. “The state will make the final determination. We'll go with it.''

Blair City Administrator Rod Storm said he didn't anticipate that the Walgreens application would become a major issue in his city, which is north of Omaha.

“Walgreens is in the downtown business district. It would just be another outlet (for alcohol),'' he said.

The Nebraska Liquor Control Commission has the final say on granting liquor licenses. It is expected to take up all of Walgreens' applications during public hearings in February or March, said Hobie Rupe, executive director.

Robert Elfinger, a spokesman at Walgreens Co. headquarters in Deerfield, Ill., said the nation's largest drugstore chain is a responsible retailer and is used to managing the sale of regulated products, such as prescription medications.

Elfinger said Walgreens has been in the alcohol business before. The chain's stores sold beer, wine and, in some instances, liquor at thousands of its stores across the country until the 1990s.

“We look forward to demonstrating that we can handle the sale of alcohol safely and responsibly,'' he said. “Our responsible vendor programs go above and beyond the law, helping ensure that alcohol is only sold to responsible adults.''

Employees will comply with alcohol sales laws by requesting identification for any customer purchasing alcohol who appears younger than 40, Elfinger said. Cash register prompts built into the coding of alcohol products will help ensure compliance before the transaction is completed, he said.

Employees who handle sales will receive extensive training. New employees will complete alcohol sales training on their first day of employment.

All employees will also complete any city- or state-required training before they can sell beer or wine, Elfinger said.

Elfinger said advances in technology will make it easier for managers to track alcohol inventory and prevent sales to minors.

Stores would have a small liquor inventory, less than 2 percent of shelf space, making it easier to monitor. They would not sell spirits, 40-ounce bottles of beer or other individual cans or bottles of beer.

In Omaha, City Council members said they based their Walgreens decisions on the stores' proximity to other liquor establishments, schools and parks, and whether the locations had been ticketed for selling tobacco to minors.

Elfinger said Walgreens continues to strive for the highest compliance rate on tobacco sales. The company has instituted employee training and awareness programs during the past five years to help meet all tobacco regulations.

“We have more stores in Omaha than any other major retailer. If you look at the statistics … our tobacco compliance record is as good or better than anyone,'' Elfinger said.

Another Omaha Walgreens site — 6005 N. 72nd St. — still faces a City Council hearing later this month. Walgreens has three other Omaha-area stores facing a hearing Tuesday before the Douglas County Board.

Opposition to Walgreens' license applications generally has come from organizations that fight underage drinking, such as Project Extra Mile.

Contact the writer:

444-1127, david.hendee@owh.com

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