Do you have grocery store bars?

[happi duck]

The one near us let's people shop with wine.  It's sort of funny seeing people pushing the cart with one hand while the other holds a huge wine glass.

[alisoncooks]

3 hours ago, happi duck said:

The one near us let's people shop with wine.  It's sort of funny seeing people pushing the cart with one hand while the other holds a huge wine glass.

Which I can't understand because I tried that at Target with a Starbucks cup and nearly spilled it. It's harder than it looks. 

[marbel]

3 hours ago, alisoncooks said:

Which I can't understand because I tried that at Target with a Starbucks cup and nearly spilled it. It's harder than it looks. 

Just takes practice.  😎

Actually one of the things I miss most from pre-covid days was sipping on a coffee while grocery shopping. (I've never had the opportunity to sip wine while shopping.) I've often wondered why Costco didn't sell coffee to drink while shopping. Once at the "food court" I asked why they didn't offer it, and the answer was "we have french fries!"  I didn't ask what that had to do with it..

 

[KungFuPanda]

On 1/31/2021 at 6:22 PM, TechWife said:

We have a regional grocery chain here that has a bar in it, and the bar is almost always full after working hours and on weekends. These are not people killing time while waiting for others to shop. They have regulars and it appears to be a destination. FWIW there is a good pub in the same shopping center.

Are grocery store bars a thing where you live? 

We can't even buy wine in our grocery stores.  No fair.

[TechWife]

I just left the grocery store - the bar is loud so it caught my attention. There were more than 20 people there - standing room only. I did notice there’s now a “no open alcohol beyond this point sign” on the store exit - no idea how long it’s been there. I still don’t understand. 

[KSera]

5 minutes ago, TechWife said:

I just left the grocery store - the bar is loud so it caught my attention. There were more than 20 people there - standing room only. I did notice there’s now a “no open alcohol beyond this point sign” on the store exit - no idea how long it’s been there. I still don’t understand. 

I’ve heard there’s one of these in a nearby town, but I have yet to see it. Seems like a weird place to go to a bar, but 🤷‍♀️. And like a really bad idea for pandemic times. 

[Wheres Toto]

I don't think so.  We've only had alcohol sold in grocery stores for a year or so and that has pretty strict guidelines (underage cashiers can't even ring up the sale).  

I can't imagine wanting to hang out in a bar in a grocery store.  But I don't actually drink much so don't spend much time in bars of any kind. 

Edited July 1, 2021 by Wheres Toto

[Wheres Toto]

On 1/31/2021 at 8:16 PM, kristin0713 said:

Never heard of this. Grocery stores aren’t even allowed to sell alcohol in NJ. 

They can now but I think only a few chains do. 

[historically accurate]

No, I've never seen that.

But speaking of weird places to have a bar, my town's driver's license office has a bar attached to it. It's two separate entities, but they have an attached entry (go forward to renew the driver's license, go left to go to the bar). The bar does display the DMV numbers in the bar so people can wait in there. 

[kristin0713]

1 hour ago, Wheres Toto said:

They can now but I think only a few chains do. 

Well yeah—Wegmans and Trader Joe’s are two that I know of. But even then, the town’s liquor license laws can prevent it, like the Trader Joe’s in Bridgewater. So annoying! 

[theelfqueen]

We do not have a bar in our grocery store - our stores did recently start selling full strength beer - no wine, no liquor. 

[SeaConquest]

Whole Foods has had this forever. Probably other places, but I am lazy and pretty much only shop online these days. So, my bar at home suffices!

[HS Mom in NC]

Yes, the Fry's in the greater PHX, AZ area where I'm from has a wine bar in it and the Lowe's (grocery store) in the greater Raleigh, NC area where I live has a beer bar in it.

[gardenmom5]

There is one I know of that has a wine/beer bar.  I had a giant eye roll when I saw it after the stores' major remodel.

[KungFuPanda]

On 1/31/2021 at 6:22 PM, TechWife said:

We have a regional grocery chain here that has a bar in it, and the bar is almost always full after working hours and on weekends. These are not people killing time while waiting for others to shop. They have regulars and it appears to be a destination. FWIW there is a good pub in the same shopping center.

Are grocery store bars a thing where you live? 

Where I live, the grocery stores don't even sell alcohol.  You have to go to a separate store.  We're a loooong way off from grocery store bars.

[Laura Corin]

10 hours ago, historically accurate said:

No, I've never seen that.

But speaking of weird places to have a bar, my town's driver's license office has a bar attached to it. It's two separate entities, but they have an attached entry (go forward to renew the driver's license, go left to go to the bar). The bar does display the DMV numbers in the bar so people can wait in there. 

When we lived in provincial China, the pirate DVD store was in the same building as the police station.

I haven't seen bars in supermarkets, but you may be able to get a beer in the supermarket cafe, I don't know.

Edited July 2, 2021 by Laura Corin

[BlsdMama]

I really only shop in Costco mostly. 🤷🏼‍♀️ That is kind of, “Take your giant bottle of liquor home with you,” type of a deal. 

[history-fan]

My mind went in a different direction. I was thinking oh brownies, chocolate chip, Rice Krispie, blondies………  no our stores don’t have a signature bar flavor/type. Wish they did- would like a Rice Krispie peanut butter chocolate topped one right now.

[LucyStoner]

I’ve seen this tried a few times over the years but it hasn’t seemed to have fully caught on.  The stores that used to have it don’t anymore though none were as robust as the one pictured on this thread. 

Edited July 3, 2021 by LucyStoner

[KidsHappen]

We did in NV. Slot machines as well. It kind of served as the community center in our little one horse town. There wasn't really much else to do there hence my forth dd born in Elko, NV.

[KidsHappen]

On 2/1/2021 at 1:59 PM, bookbard said:

I'm trying to imagine how that works with kids - is it legal for kids to be in the same area in the US? In Australia no one under 18 is allowed in a pub or at the bar area of a restaurant. And I associate supermarkets (grocery stores) with dragging kids around the place! Some supermarkets do have an alcohol area but it has to be totally separate, with big signs saying no one under 18 is allowed in. 

It is different in different states. In WI (at least when I lived there) you can take your children into a bar and even serve them alcohol yourself but  here in TN you can't even let your children drink wine during communion. In NV you could buy hard liquor in the grocery 25 years ago while we just got wine in our grocery stores about 5 years ago. FL has drive thru bars so in spite of the universal 21 year old drinking laws the states are pretty diverse as to the specifics.

[KidsHappen]

On 7/1/2021 at 5:10 PM, Wheres Toto said:

I don't think so.  We've only had alcohol sold in grocery stores for a year or so and that has pretty strict guidelines (underage cashiers can't even ring up the sale).  

I can't imagine wanting to hang out in a bar in a grocery store.  But I don't actually drink much so don't spend much time in bars of any kind. 

Yeah, the laws are weird and inconsistent. Most people under 21 can't ring up alcohol but my youngest could ring up alcohol when she managed the gas station and she got a state bartenders' license when she managed a restaurant when she was under 21, and she was permitted to taste the drinks she made to make sure they were mixed correctly.