As the owner of a family-run grocery store here in Corona, Queens, I understand the many struggles and opportunities that come with running a small business in New York City.
For years, my store has served as a cornerstone of our neighborhood – a meeting place for neighbors, a source of fresh produce and pantry items and long-standing, reliable institution for generation after generation.
But like many small business owners, I face a constant uphill battle to keep my doors open in an uncertain economy that’s often stacked against me. That’s why I believe it’s time for New York to allow the sale of wine in grocery stores – which will help bolster small, independent stores like mine.
For small grocery stores, the ability to sell wine gives us a critical new revenue stream to help us stay afloat. The margins on groceries are razor-thin – and amid growing, valid concerns from customers about the rising cost of groceries – our hands are tied. Adding wine sales to the menu could help us reinvest in our businesses and our staff and improve our offerings for our communities.
When customers stop by my store, they often rush home from work or run through a slew of errands to prepare a last-minute meal. They can pick up everything they need – except a bottle of wine. That extra stop at the liquor store isn’t just inconvenient for them; it’s a missed opportunity for me as a business owner to meet their needs.
And let’s not forget the benefits for local wineries and vineyards. Grocery stores would create a new marketplace for New York State wines, giving our local producers greater visibility and sales opportunities. It’s been reported that wine sales in New York State have steadily declined from $51 million to $45 million over the past decade, which further clarifies the need to support our local wineries.
Let’s be clear: this is about leveling the playing field for independent grocers, who compete every day to survive, and giving working New Yorkers choice and convenience.
We know that there are still countless customers who patronize liquor and wine stores because they have long-standing relationships with the owners or they want a more specialized experience from experts. This will not diminish that—it will simply allow the busiest New Yorkers to have more options when they’re in a pinch.
To the critics who say that small businesses will hang in the balance if this moves forward, I ask: What about my small business? Aren’t grocers like me who represent and serve some of our city’s most diverse communities deserving of investment and access to additional revenue streams?
I understand the concerns of some of my other small business owners. Change can be scary. But the truth is that New York’s current laws are outdated, and they’re holding small businesses like mine back—and they’re adversely impacting our customers.
New York is one of just 10 states where you can’t buy wine in a grocery store like mine. That needs to change. We must bring our state into the 21st century and be realistic about what consumers want and need.
By allowing wine sales in grocery stores, we can make life a little easier for customers, create jobs, and give small businesses like mine a fighting chance.
I urge our lawmakers to listen to the voices of small business owners and communities across the state. This isn’t just a matter of convenience; it’s a matter of economic survival for thousands of family-run stores like mine. Let’s lift the restrictions and uncork the potential of small businesses in New York.
It’s time to put wine on the shelves of grocery stores like mine where it belongs.
Cesar Taveras is the owner of a Key Food supermarket on 108th Street in Corona, Queens.
