Die, PLCB...DIE!

[Hospitalitygirl]

PLCB poised to raise prices on wine and liquor | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/10/2012

The state Liquor Control Board is scheduled to vote Wednesday on whether to approve an increase in prices on more than 450 wines and hard liquor brands. The increases, requested by the vendors of the alcoholic beverages, are usually proposed for either $1 and $2, but go as low as 50 cents and as high as $5.

If the board votes in favor of the increase, it would mark the first time in a year and a half that wine and liquor prices have gone up. In that time, the board has rejected requests for hikes, given the bad economy.

The board's three members were giving no clues Tuesday as to how they might vote on the proposed increases.Generally, vendors have the ability four times a year to ask the LCB to raise prices on their products, said Stacey Witalec, the board's spokeswoman. The price hikes now being requested would generate a $5 million annual return for the state, state officials added.

Some products on the hike list include various Columbia Crest wines (the Two Vines Chardonnay and the Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon, both of which would go from $16.99 to $17.99); and The Glenlivet scotch (the 12-year single malt would go from $39.99 to $44.99. The changes would add $1 to the current $21.99 price of a bottle of Kahlua Coffee liqueur; $5 to Dom Pérignon champagne, now sold for $139.99; and $1 to Skinnygirl Margarita, now sold for $13.99.

The threat of a price increase comes against the backdrop of an attempt by a number of high-profile Republicans to privatize the LCB.

The move to auction off the agency's wine and liquor stores has been championed by Gov. Corbett and House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R., Allegheny), and has helped push the door open to modernizing liquor laws that date back to the end of Prohibition.

Read more: PLCB poised to raise prices on wine and liquor | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/10/2012
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[phoenix]

PLCB poised to raise prices on wine and liquor | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/10/2012

I would agree. I am surprised that the LCB still exists, pfft.

I have this wine club thing through them, and it's so silly, I have to go to the damn state store to pick up the wine (that I usually wind up giving to my friend) every month:P the 2 bottles I get...they probably would cost half the price I pay in another state. Meh.

[sharkey]

PLCB poised to raise prices on wine and liquor | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/10/2012

I don't understand. Who are the "vendors?" The liquor producers set their own prices to sell their products to the LCB, don't they? The seller of the booze to the public is the LCB itself through its state stores.So, who is asking for a price increase from the LCB?

[ArcticSplash]

sharkey any very large buyer of anything has a price advantage.

Wal-mart for instance sets the purchasing price of almost everything they buy. Because of limited shelf space, they have the upper hand. They can easily discountinue an item and replace it with something else.



For instance, Glinlivet can be chucked and PLCB can just stock more Jameson and Dewars on the shelf. For the supplier, it's either sell to the PLCB at the price the PLCB contracted to buy, or sell zero. The PLCB has pulled stock many times in the past due to conflicts between suppliers and PLCB. That's the fun but with oligopolies and monopolies the PLCB will never tell you about, along with the myth that the PLCB always has a price advantage over say, Total Wine over in Jersey.

[Ho Chi Minh]

PLCB poised to raise prices on wine and liquor | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/10/2012

How else can they afford to pay cashiers $25/hour and offer a full pension?

[seand]

I would agree. I am surprised that the LCB still exists, pfft.

I'm not. Voters in PA are easily swayed into all sorts of things by "its always been this way" and there are two constituencies, one for each party who regularly play to that. Dems are cowed by the state employee unions who want to keep the PLCB union and at least some PA Republicans are cowed by anti-alcohol bible thumpers. Therefore dramatic change is unlikely any time soon.

[Marc]

I don't understand. Who are the "vendors?" The liquor producers set their own prices to sell their products to the LCB, don't they? The seller of the booze to the public is the LCB itself through its state stores.So, who is asking for a price increase from the LCB?

Look on the back of any bottle of booze and note the importer or distributor. Until recently in PA it was Diagio, now it's Southern States or something like that. PA doesn't deal with individual distillers and vintners.

[Hospitalitygirl]

LCB votes to raise liquor prices | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/11/2012

And in a completely expected mode, the state approved the increases:

At its monthly meeting Wednesday morning, LCB officials said they were allowing the price hikes, requested by vendors of the alcoholic beverages, in the face of increasing transportation and other costs associated with getting liquor on retail shelves. For the last year and a half, the board has rejected price increase requests, given the bad economy.

"We have done our best to hold down prices," said board member Patrick J. "P.J." Stapleton III, but called the increase " a necessary thing to do" in order to continue providing the best selection possible for consumers.

The increases are mostly in the $1 and $2 range, but go as low as 50 cents and as high as $5.

Generally, vendors have the ability four times a year to ask the LCB to raise prices on their products. The price hikes now being requested could generate a roughly $3 million annual return for the state, state officials said.

Some products on the hike list include various Columbia Crest wines (the Two Vines Chardonnay and the Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon, both of which would go from $16.99 to $17.99); and The Glenlivet scotch (the 12-year single malt would go from $39.99 to $44.99. The changes would add $1 to the current $21.99 price of a bottle of Kahlua Coffee liqueur; $5 to Dom Pérignon champagne, now sold for $139.99; and $1 to Skinnygirl Margarita, now sold for $13.99.

The threat of a price increase comes against the backdrop of an attempt by a number of high-profile Republicans to privatize the LCB.

The move to auction off the agency's wine and liquor stores has been championed by Gov. Corbett and House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R., Allegheny), and has helped push the door open to modernizing liquor laws that date back to the end of Prohibition.

Just recently, the LCB quietly rolled out a pilot program allowing customers to select from a limited list of products and, for a fee, have them shipped directly to their homes. Before, customers could order only from the LCB's online catalog and have the liquor shipped to the nearest state liquor store for pickup.

[guzzijason]

Anybody know if there is a complete list of the affected products published somewhere, or when the changes take effect?

__Jason

[BarryG]

Higher prices suck, and the PLCB's method of raising prices is a bit silly, but what's the big deal here? Prices change and rise at privatized liquor stores too, one of the advantages of the PLCB is price stability.

[guzzijason]

Higher prices suck, and the PLCB's method of raising prices is a bit silly, but what's the big deal here? Prices change and rise at privatized liquor stores too, one of the advantages of the PLCB is price stability.

Plus - whether folks want to admit it or not - there really are some things that you can get cheaper in PA than anywhere else. And in some cases, a LOT cheaper. Just need to hunt a little bit.

__Jason

[AbortedWalrus]

Plus - whether folks want to admit it or not - there really are some things that you can get cheaper in PA than anywhere else. And in some cases, a LOT cheaper. Just need to hunt a little bit.

__Jason

Some things. Everything else is cheaper outside of PA.

[Ho Chi Minh]

Plus - whether folks want to admit it or not - there really are some things that you can get cheaper in PA than anywhere else. And in some cases, a LOT cheaper. Just need to hunt a little bit.

__Jason

If I can find a open store, with said product in stock, without having to drive all over town.

eh, it's just easier to cross the bridge. Tax dollars -> NJ.

[raider.adam]

Higher prices suck, and the PLCB's method of raising prices is a bit silly, but what's the big deal here? Prices change and rise at privatized liquor stores too, one of the advantages of the PLCB is price stability.

The concept of a government agency handling the price controls of a good is the issue.

[phillyaggie]

I finally made my pilgrimage to Total Wine... I would have to go to the PLCB store and jot down their liquor and wine prices to make true comparison but the single malt scotches at Total weren't particularly cheaper... what matters however is the selection provided... wow! And of course, I can finally buy microbrew six packs and don't have to commit to buying cases. All in all though, I would only go there if I'm buying a whole lot of booze or if I'm in NJ for some other reason...you add back the $5 bridge toll, plus PCS rental, and it's not worth it to go there weekly or even monthly basis.

[Marc]

. All in all though, I would only go there if I'm buying a whole lot of booze or if I'm in NJ for some other reason...you add back the $5 bridge toll, plus PCS rental, and it's not worth it to go there weekly or even monthly basis.

There's one in DE too, off the Neaman's Rd exit. The selection is at least as epic.

Depending on what you're looking for, the selection almost warrants the weekly, biweekly or monthly trip. By way of example, I find mid-range ($17-28) Reislings difficult to come by; French Roses are all but none existent, Carneros Pinot Noirs are noticeably absent and forget about anything even remotely obscure. Want a bottle of what you had at dinner last night, ha!

[raider.adam]

I finally made my pilgrimage to Total Wine... I would have to go to the PLCB store and jot down their liquor and wine prices to make true comparison but the single malt scotches at Total weren't particularly cheaper... what matters however is the selection provided... wow! And of course, I can finally buy microbrew six packs and don't have to commit to buying cases. All in all though, I would only go there if I'm buying a whole lot of booze or if I'm in NJ for some other reason...you add back the $5 bridge toll, plus PCS rental, and it's not worth it to go there weekly or even monthly basis.

Yeah, I highly doubt people are going to NJ to buy a single bottle of alcohol and I don't think anyone has ever really made that claim. The sales they lose out on are the people that are in NJ already because they work there, they bundle other shopping in with it as well or they buy to stock and not just spontaneity.

[BarryG]

I finally made my pilgrimage to Total Wine... I would have to go to the PLCB store and jot down their liquor and wine prices to make true comparison but the single malt scotches at Total weren't particularly cheaper... what matters however is the selection provided... wow! And of course, I can finally buy microbrew six packs and don't have to commit to buying cases. All in all though, I would only go there if I'm buying a whole lot of booze or if I'm in NJ for some other reason...you add back the $5 bridge toll, plus PCS rental, and it's not worth it to go there weekly or even monthly basis.

Not disagreeing with you but FYI there are a lot of places to buy micros by the six-pack and even mixed-6 these days (might be some sticker shock tho).

[boognish]

Exactly. Fill up the car with cheap gas, shop at Wegmans, a case or two of wine at Moore Bros., refresh the liquor cabinet at Canal's, etc. We go every two weeks and it's well worth our time and the $5. Hell, I come close to saving that just on the gas.

Now if I could just find a place in the Cherry Hill area that carries Haus Alpenz products...

Edit: responding to Adam.

[phillyaggie]

^ works better if you have your own car...I'm not filling up PCS's car with gas bought on my dime.

^^ yes, I've bought mixed six packs and even single bottles when I was brand new to the city...the sticker shock was enough for me to not make that mistake ever again.