Buying beer at Walmart

[RetailSlave]

The law changed in Indiana back in July so that you have to be 19 to sell alcohol. Some ultraconservative state representative managed to get it passed in the middle of a long bill. His explanation was that 18 years olds are very susceptabile to peer pressure and they might be tempted to sell it to their underaged buddies. We have several 18 year old cashiers that had to transfer to other departments because corporate decided it was better to not risk it.

The bad thing is that up til a few years ago all our stores had a separate "party store" for alcohol with its own cashier that could be shut down during the hours and days that we are not allowed to sell alcohol. But when they built our store 3 1/2 years ago they decided they would sell more alcohol as impulse buys,so they put it out on the main floor. If they hadn't done that it wouldn't have been a problem...we could have put an older cashier in the party store and allowed our 18 year olds to stay on register.

[Dorath]

Actually, thanks to a bunch of lawsuits back in the 90's, as long as the waitress, bartender, or salesperson is over 18, they are allowed to sell, handle, and mix alcohol. Just can't consume or purchase it themselves.

Mostly true. 18 can serve, but you must be 21 to open. I got it many times at Pizza Hut, opening with a young waitress.

[Velfarre2001]

I've never had that happen to me (when I was underage and would go in with friends or family) and have never seen it happen to anyone else.
Like prb, when I was underage I would often carry bottles out for whoever I was with and it was never an issue to employees or the security guards.

Hmmmm.... If you are ever around there, try the one by Ossington station. I see it happen everytime I am there....... maybe I am just unlucky... I hate showing my I.D. cause I am SO not photogenic.....

[KiaKat]

Dorath, that might be a state thing. The states I've worked/lived in or researched, there was no restriction on opening...it would have been a problem for a lot of 19 and 20 year old bartenders I knew if that were the case.

[bunnyboy]

that's just because you work grave and are sleeping during most of the time they're open

and seriously, why not do the same thing I do... stock up any time I go over to Nevada (hmm, I think a Wendover trip is in order... anyone for a Salt Lake CSer Wendover trip )

Or do the SLC Punk thing, depending on where you are...gotta love Evanston for that.

[seigus]

What I hate about buying beer at Wally is that the underage checkers, upon seeing your beer, move it to the side, comtinue to check. and then, AFTER they've checked you out otherwise, call for a supervisor to ring up the beer. Why not just call for a supervisor WHILE they're checking you out, so your stuff gets rung while you wait, other than both of you (and the people in line behind you) standing there looking bored while you wait? Makes no sense at all to me. I had to specifically request a supervisor be called once, and the checker could not understand why this might be more effecient. Looked at me like I was from Jupiter. I hate Wal-Mart.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Here in Virginia, you can buy beer and wine at grocery stores and the like, but the hard stuff you can only purchase at the ABC stores. And there's no limitations on underage cashiers selling you the stuff. I've seen plenty under-18 cashiers come and go without an eyelash being batted about it.

[PepperElf]

i don't mind buying alcohol in the grocery store.... here in NY it's beer and those bottled mixed drinks only... when I was in VA it was beer, wine, champagne...

only thing i dislike is that the grocery stores here in ny don't sell the beer I want... (Dang it I want some Sapporo!) pfft.

[Misanthropical]

Actually, you can buy beer in Wegman's here in PA. I just wish they would start selling wine.

[alphaboi]

Actually, you can buy beer in Wegman's here in PA. I just wish they would start selling wine.

True. I was shocked the first time I saw the beer displays in their cafe area. The's still that pesky 2 six-pack limit; I haven't tried stepping outside and then going right back in yet. The Liquor Control Board is experimenting it operating small outlets (aka One Stop Shops) inside grocery stores (staffed by LCB employees, with LCB registers, selling LCB products, etc). Wegmans wasn't interested since they'd have no control over them. What really sucks is that despite the PALCB being the largest purchaser of wine and spirits in the US (2nd largest in North America after LCB Ontario) and getting all kings of volume discounts they don't pass any of it onto the consumer (who can't buy it anywhere else without crossing state lines).