King Soopers Jobs, Others Wait on Beer Battle Outcome

The continuing beer battles in Colorado could ultimately effect King Soopers jobs. Check out http://grocery.coloradojobs.com to see some openings.

Last week, the Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee passed a bill that would allow convenience stores of 5,000 square feet or less to sell full-strength beer. According to the Denver Business Journal, that bill is just one of many attempts to change Colorado's existing alcohol laws.

Colorado's existing alcohol law - which was recently overturned by Roxy Huber, executive director of the Colorado Department of Revenue - allows restaurants and bars to sell full-strength beer, while allowing convenience and grocery stores to sell only low-strength beer.

Nearly two weeks ago, the House Committee on Economic and Business Development passed a similar bill that would allow both convenience and grocery stores to sell full-strength beer. However, many experts think this bill is less plausible because it would support more out-of-state grocery chains, such as City Market and King Soopers.

Those in favor of such a bill claim that allowing convenience and grocery stores to sell full-strength would create thousands of new jobs throughout the state. Those who oppose the bill, which are mainly liquor stores and craft breweries, claim such a bill would cause them to cut Denver job numbers and even close.

A recent study from Summit Economics found the law allowing both convenience and grocery stores to sell full-strength beer would cause 700 of the state’s 1,653 liquor stores to close within three years, leading to the loss of 4,830 jobs and $700 million in revenues.