No beer at Williams Discount Foods?

[Joe Kimball]

I was in Williams yesterday and when passing by what was the beer cooler when Albertson's occupied the space, I saw that it was filled with sodas, chilled beverages, and the like. They've occupied the space for a little while; certainly they would have had a license to sell beer by now?

[bkm645]

They do not want to sell beer. They are Christians and do believe that they should sell beer. I like their concept, but you must compete.

[oneforone]

The relgion issue may be just the icing on the cake. It could be that they just do not want the liabilty that comes with selling beer.

I think Williams goal is to become what Buchanan's used to be to the metro area. Buchanan's was a family grocery store that gave back to the local community and promoted a family friendly enviroment.

My nieces go to North. Just in the short time Williams has owned the NW 122nd & Rockwell store they have donated food, drinks and allowed students to use their parking lot for car washes.

It would kill your business if you sold beer and your store employees accidently sold beer to minors that died in car crash from the same school you sponsor.

I don't think Buchanan's sold beer because each of their stores where so actively involved with the schools in Moore.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Buchanan's sold beer. I used to work at the one at 4th and Eastern in Moore.

And what liability comes with a store selling beer?

[oneforone]

Buchanan's sold beer. I used to work at the one at 4th and Eastern in Moore.

And what liability comes with a store selling beer?

I worked for Pratt's way back when, they told us that there insurance rates went up anytime they where cited with selling beer to minors.

Not to mention it put the company at risk for lawsuits.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Forgive my ignorance, but...What lawsuits?

[Karried]

That's why we have ID's... clerks can probably figure out and deny a fake ID and if a student used one to buy beer, I would think the liability issue would be moot.

Regardless, Christianity shouldn't have anything to do with a Miller Light.

Even Jesus drank wine.

And would it kill a kid to see beer on the shelves.. what? are they living in a bubble?

'Gasp! I looked at a beer, I need a drink!' lol

[John]

There was an article right around the time Albertson's sold some of their stores to Williams about how the current owner made a promise to his mom (when she passed the stores on to him) he wouldn't sell beer at their stores.

It's a silly policy, though.

[andy157]

Forgive my ignorance, but...What lawsuits?

The ones that put the company at risk.

[oneforone]

Forgive my ignorance, but...What lawsuits?

A Louisville family is suing over an accident that killed a teenage girl. They are also suing the man behind the wheel.

The alleged drunk driver, Darrell Bell, faces murder charges after wrecking his car in February while 18-year-old Billie Burkholtz was in the backseat.
The accident killed Burkholtz, and prosecutors say Bell, 19, was drunk.
"The liquor store is liable. Once they sell liquor to an underage driver they're responsible for his negligence as well as their own," Tad Thomas said.

Lawyer Tad Thomas filed suit this week against the driver as well as Rockford Lane Liquors.

"This liquor store Rockford Lane Liquors sold liquor to a 19 year old without bothering to card him, he proceeds to drink vodka, drive down the road at a high rate of speed with my client in the backseat wrecks the car and kills her," said Thomas.

The owner of the liquor store, Marvin Morris, said Friday he has not seen the lawsuit yet, it was just filed yesterday afternoon. Morris said he would not comment on the specifics of the case, but he did say he was familiar with the accident.

"This liquor store has a history of selling alcohol to minors," said Thomas.
As part of the lawsuit, Thomas added documents from alcoholic beverage control showing five incidents of the store selling to minors in the past five years. In the most recent incident, Morris paid a $2,000 fine in February 2006. According to Thomas, Morris sold liquor to ell two weeks after paying the fine.

"Didn't bother to change the way they do business," said Thomas.
Thomas said Burkholtz, had also been drinking. He expects another passenger, who was badly hurt in the accident, to testify in the case.

Every store that sells beer or alcohol has sold to minors at one time or another. Sometimes its the clerk being careless, sometimes it is a well made fake id or somebody that knows how to scam a clerk.

Granted most lawsuits are never successful but then again most businesses will settle before it ever goes to court just to avoid the negative publicity.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Every store that sells beer or alcohol has sold to minors at one time or another. Sometimes its the clerk being careless, sometimes it is a well made fake id or somebody that knows how to scam a clerk.

Granted most lawsuits are never successful but then again most businesses will settle before it ever goes to court just to avoid the negative publicity.

So...Using the example given...If they repeatedly break the law, flaunt it even, they're open to lawsuit? Go figure.

What if they never sold to minors? Can they be (successfully) sued when they sell booze legally to a person, and that person commits a crime? I doubt it. Same thing with guns. I doubt WalMart would sell either if they were much of a liability risk. Could it happen? Sure. But I bet slip-n-fall lawsuits are much more common in stores like that, yet they still mop the floors.

I don't mind a store deciding not to carry beer, I may not like it, but it's their business, not mine. Using possible liability as a reason is just a copout for them in my opinion though.

[metro]

Who cares if they sell beer or not, its their business to run as they wish. If you don't like it don't shop there or open your own grocery store.

[dalelakin]

I thought I read some where that the owners had lost some one close to them to a drunk driver and that is why they don't carry alcohol??? I can't find a source on a quick search so maybe it was just a rumor?

[onthestrip]

I also heard the promise to mom story, she didnt want him to sell alcohol.

[Easy180]

I also heard the promise to mom story, she didnt want him to sell alcohol.

Well he wouldn't have broken his promise since Oklahoma beer doesn't have any alcohol in it anyway

[CuatrodeMayo]

Who cares if they sell beer or not, its their business to run as they wish. If you don't like it don't shop there or open your own grocery store.

Exactly.

[Patrick]

Who cares if they sell beer or not, its their business to run as they wish. If you don't like it don't shop there or open your own grocery store.

Amen!

[Joe Kimball]

Well he wouldn't have broken his promise since Oklahoma beer doesn't have any alcohol in it anyway

A good point And, before 1995, that was legally true.

Who cares if they sell beer or not, its their business to run as they wish. If you don't like it don't shop there or open your own grocery store.

I think it's a fair question---especially since they continue to sell mixers, bitters, and otherwise products that are rarely (if ever) enjoyed by themselves without alcoholic beverages, alcoholic beverages that are significantly more than 4% by volume.

Thanks to all for sharing the answer!

[Joe Kimball]

..

[Karried]

Who cares if they sell beer or not, its their business to run as they wish. If you don't like it don't shop there or open your own grocery store.

Obviously, someone cares and is interested in knowing or they wouldn't have bothered to inquire about the reason ...

The same question could be asked about any of our topics of conversation --- but this is a discussion board and we are discussing issues and sharing ideas.

I'd hate to think our members (especially new ones) might be thinking they shouldn't ask legitimate questions and risk getting responses like this one.

[Shake2005]

I've never seen any grocery store anywhere that didn't sell beer. Almost all outside of Oklahoma sell wine and many sell liquor.

[metro]

Obviously, someone cares and is interested in knowing or they wouldn't have bothered to inquire about the reason ...

The same question could be asked about any of our topics of conversation --- but this is a discussion board and we are discussing issues and sharing ideas.

I'd hate to think our members (especially new ones) might be thinking they shouldn't ask legitimate questions and risk getting responses like this one.

True, and as a message board, everyone is entitled to their own opinion in this country. If we all thought the same on every issue, there would be no need for debate nor this message board. And obviously, several posters above agreed with me, and several did not as well.

[BDP]

Who cares if they sell beer or not,

20+ posts and counting.

If you don't like it don't shop there

OK, maybe we should just say if you don't care, don't post, as well...?

Personally, I don't mind if they don't sell beer, but the discussion and the motivations behind it have been interesting.

[Moondog]

even the weekly junk mail flyer they send out has bible scriptures printed at the bottom. Obviously a religious bunch.

[bombermwc]

I don't care. I mean it's not like you can't go across the street from almost any grocery store, find a convenience store, and buy beer. Seriously, there are so many other options out there....and how many of us bought beer at Albertson's? Seriously...anything there was more expensive than at Wally world, Crest, Homeland, whatever. If you did buy beer there, you're kind of dumb.

So far, I haven't made friends with Williams anyway. They closed the store closest to me, and all the other ones still look like crap. Everything feels cheap inside and crappy. Even the employees look as though they're a step below who Albertson's had on staff. It seriously reminds me of jumping back in time to IGA...and that isn't a good thing.