SCORE will help you with the financials.
Do you need financing?
Comments Regarding Plan
Cash Sales: Projected gross sales are based on
the average of the monthly sales of small liquor store.
Other
Income: This
income is provided through the sales of services and products unrelated to
alcohol such as cigarettes and related supplies.
Cost of Goods Sold: This figure is based on 35% of revenues which is the
industry corporate standard.
Payroll: This is based on one full-time owner, one full-time
manager, and six part and full-time liquor store cashiers according to the
projected labor schedule.
Getting Started
CHOOSE WHICH COSTS APPLY TO YOUR BUSINESS
DOWNLOAD - TO EXCEL FILE
Startup Costs and Fixed Monthly Expenses
Do research to obtain these amounts.
Consult with Attorney, CPA, Insurance Broker, Suppliers, and
New York
State Liquor Store Association
Basics
on How to Do Liquor Inventory
Consult with your CPA who should have experience with
liquor stores.
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Location is
critical to attract the traffic and customer profile required to generate
planned sales volumes.
The capital needed
to buy an existing liquor store can vary greatly.
How
Much Start-Up Inventory Is Recommended for a Small Liquor Store?
Specialty shops face a
lower turnover rate than larger stores,
By using a business
plan, start-up liquor stores can make smart inventory purchases based on their
plan's market research, mission, sales goals and budget.
Stores that sell alcohol
face start-up costs to get and retain a license, so inventory costs should be
kept as closely in line with the budget as possible. At the same time, it's
important to offer customers a competitive product selection to drive sales.
State liquor licenses
often require owners to keep in-stock inventory within a certain range or
product type, and that owners purchase the alcohol only from a licensed
wholesaler.
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Marketing strategy will focus on:
- Developing a reputation for
great selection, an appealing store environment, competitive prices, and
excellent customer service. This should engender strong word-of-mouth
advertising--our most potent form of advertising.
- Developing strong
relationships with your suppliers to help insure best discount deals
and best supplier services obtainable.
- Keeping the staff focused, satisfied and important in their roles--to help keep
our productivity and customer service at the highest obtainable levels.
- Maintaining an awareness of your
store through regular advertising to your target community. This may be in
any combination of media--newspaper, direct mail, in-store ads and
brochures, online ads, radio, and/or television.
- Reaching out to potential
wholesale clients--businesses and community organizations.
How
to Promote Your Liquor Store to Market to Generation X
The
3 Lessons I Learned After Accidentally Buying a Liquor...
Lesson 1. The liquor business is highly
complex.
Lesson
2. Distributors hold all the power.
Lesson
3. Owning and operating a small liquor store can provide a comfortable income
and job security but it’s no cash
cow.
How to Open
a Liquor Store - Startup Business
Important
Considerations
The capital needed to
start a liquor store is largely dependent upon a number of factors including
whether it will be started from scratch under a new name, whether buying into a
franchise or setting up a grocery store that contains
Money Needed
The capital needed to
buy an existing liquor store can vary greatly.. Buying an existing liquor store
may save some money in the way of inventory and supplies. Conversely, starting
a new liquor store can be equally, if not more, costly because of licensing
fees, leasing a building and inventory costs.
After filing an
application for a liquor license, the license fee must be paid. This fee may
vary according to municipality and based on the type of license.
Store Leasing
Leasing a building for a
liquor store may also depend on municipal and state regulations. Leasing fees
are often based on amount per square foot and can cost as much as six-figures. Liquor
store, in Great Neck, New York
Inventory
The capital needed for
inventory will vary depending upon alcohol brands and the size of stock.
High-end wine such as "Albino Rocca Barbaresco" can cost a little
more then $700 for a case. Overall, the cost for cases of wine, beer and even
non-alcoholic beverages can run into the six-figure range, particularly for
larger liquor stores.
Marketing strategy will focus on:
- Developing a reputation for
great selection, an appealing store environment, competitive prices, and
excellent customer service. This should engender strong word-of-mouth
advertising--our most potent form of advertising.
- Developing strong
relationships with your suppliers to help insure best discount deals
and best supplier services obtainable.
- Keeping the staff focused, satisfied and important in their roles--to help keep
our productivity and customer service at the highest obtainable levels.
- Maintaining an awareness of your
store through regular advertising to your target community. This may be in
any combination of media--newspaper, direct mail, in-store ads and
brochures, online ads, radio, and/or television.
- Reaching out to potential
wholesale clients--businesses and community organizations.
How
to Promote Your Liquor Store to Market to Generation X
In the case of an individual
or a partnership, each person must be 21 years of age or older and be: a
citizen of the United States; a permanent resident alien; or a citizen of a
country with a treaty allowing persons to obtain a visa to enter the United
States to engage in trade.
In the case of a limited
liability company or a corporation, the managing member of the limited
liability company or the officers and directors of the corporation must each
be 21 years of age or older and be: a citizen of the United States; a
permanent resident alien; or a citizen of a country with a treaty allowing
persons to obtain a visa to enter the United States to engage in trade.
In addition, a person is not
eligible to hold a license if he/she is:
(a) A convicted felon
(unless he/she has a Certificate of Relief from Civil Disabilities, has
received a pardon, or has been issued a Certificate of Good Conduct). This
includes a felony conviction in NYS and a conviction in another state or
federal jurisdiction if the crime would be a felony in NYS.
(b) a police officer.
(c) a person whose license
to sell alcoholic beverages was revoked within the last two years.
How can I get an application for an ABC license or permit, and where
do I file my application when completed? Some applications can be downloaded via this web site (Forms Download) or you
may contact us at (518) 474-3114 to request an application by email.
Do I need to consult a professional to help me complete the
application? The retail application has been simplified and is
accompanied by detailed instructions to assist the applicant. However,
applicants are always free to obtain professional consultation.
What are the permitted hours
of operation for any given licensee? The hours of operation are set by state law but many
counties outside of
What is the Notification to
the Clerk/Community Board? All on-premises license applicants must notify the community board or
municipality of their intent to file an application. This must be done thirty
days before the application is filed with the
What is the Notification of
Publication? All
on-premises license applicants must publish a notice in a newspaper
designated by the
When filing my application,
am I required to submit the entire fee? Yes. The total licensing fee (the annual fee multiplied by the length
of the license) along with the filing fee must be submitted. Failure to submit
the entire fee can result in denial of the application.
Can I qualify for a
temporary permit while I wait for my permanent license application to be
processed? You
may be eligible for a temporary permit depending on where your establishment
is located, the type of license and whether you are buying an existing
establishment or starting a new business.
If the business is
located in
If the business is
located outside of New York City, you are eligible for a temporary permit if:
(a) you are buying the business from the current licensee and the business
has been open and operating within 30 days of the date you filed the
application for the permit; or (b) you are starting a new business and it is
not a package store, wine store, or subject to the 500 Foot Law.
The permit
application and fee may be filed with the Retail License Application or after
the license application has been filed. You may not file the permit
application before you apply for the license. You should contact the
Authority to find out if there are any disqualifications against the location
prior to filing. Once the application for the Temporary Retail Permit is
filed, the Authority will review the licensing history of the location and
all principals as well as fingerprint results for each principal and
determine if a temporary application can be approved.
Please note that the
fee for the Temporary Retail Permit is NON REFUNDABLE.
Are there any restrictions
on the location of my premises? Applicants for a liquor store license, wine store
license and on-premises liquor license cannot be on the same street and
within 200 feet of a school, church, synagogue or other place of worship.
Additional information about the “200’ Foot Law” is available on this web
site.
Applicants for an
on-premises liquor license may not be able to obtain a license if their
establishment is within 500 feet of three or more existing establishments.
Additional information about the “500’ Foot Law” is available on this web
site.
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If I currently hold a license, can I qualify for a permit to serve alcoholic
beverages at an event located off my licensed premises? You may apply for a Catering Permit. This permit
authorizes an on-premises licensee (other license categories do not apply)
who is serving food and beverages at an event located off the licensed
premises to sell and/or serve alcoholic beverages allowed by their license at
the event. The fee for the permits is $48 per bar/day. Please refer to the
Special Event Permit Application and Instructions (Link to Online
Permit Applications Page).
Note: The Catering
Permit is also available to a Club licensee with some additional
restrictions.
If I do not have a license,
can Serve alcoholic beverages at a function or event? You have two options that will allow alcoholic
beverages to be served at your function or event:
(a) You can
apply for a Temporary Beer & Wine Permit (also referred to as a “TPA”);
however, you cannot serve liquor under this permit. The fee for a TPA is $36
per bar/day.
(b) You can
hire a licensed caterer to provide the food and alcoholic beverages at the
event.
When I receive a Temporary Beer & Wine Permit, where am I allowed
to purchase the beer and wine? Beer and wine must be purchased from a licensed brewer,
winery, or wholesaler. Purchasing the beer from a grocery store and the wine
from a liquor store is prohibited.
If I am a club licensee,
when can I serve alcoholic beverages to a person other than members and their
accompanying guests? A club
licensee can only sell or serve alcoholic beverages to the general public if
it has obtained a Caterer's Permit for a particular function, occasion or
event. There are restrictions on the ability of a club licensee to obtain a
caterer’s permit. A club that intends to regularly cater functions at its
licensed premises should obtain a standard on-premises license.
Is a permit required to
transport alcoholic beverages through
If a licensee is
delivering alcoholic beverages, it may do so in a vehicle that is owned/hired
and operated by the licensee. A copy of the license must be kept in the cab
of the vehicle.
Can Alcoholic Beverages be
sold at an Auction? There
are two ways that alcoholic beverages can be auctioned.
(a) If you are
a bona-fide charitable, religious, educational, or civic group, you can
auction donated alcohol for fundraising purposes. You must apply for a
Charitable Permit to auction no more than 80 cases of wine, in sealed
containers.
(b) A package
store licensee (who has held the license for at least ten years) can obtain a
permit to sell wine and liquor at auction. The alcoholic beverages must have
come from a non-licensee’s private collection and must be clearly identified
as coming from a private collection.
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What basic requirements are necessary to be a wholesaler in
How much does a wholesale license cost? The cost of the license depends on the type of alcoholic
beverage that is being sold. There are four types of licenses available:
liquor, wine, beer and cider. A liquor wholesale license includes the ability
to sell wine at wholesale. A beer wholesaler may also obtain a license to
sell cider at wholesale from the same location. The fee schedule for
wholesale licenses is available on this web site.
What is Brand Label
Registration? No
alcoholic beverage can be offered for sale in this state unless the product’s
brand label has been registered with and approved by the
Why must I file price
schedules for liquor or wine? To avoid discrimination among retailers and prevent
illegal trade practices, liquor and wine can only be sold at the prices
stated in the schedules filed with the
What is a "C"
license? A
"C" License is a wholesale beer license with the privilege to sell
at retail to the consumer. (This type of license has not been issued since
1960 – a person interested in obtaining such a license must purchase a
business that already has the license.)
What is the difference
between a "commercial", "micro" and "farm"
manufacturing license? Generally speaking,
manufacturing licenses are grouped into three categories” “commercial”
manufacturers, “micro” manufacturers and “farm” manufacturers. The
“commercial” manufacturers (breweries, distilleries and wineries) have no cap
on the amount of alcoholic beverages that they can produce and there are no
restrictions on the ingredients used to make their alcoholic beverages.
Micro-distillers and micro-brewers have no restrictions on the ingredients
they use, but have a cap on the amount of alcoholic beverages that they can
produce each year. The “farm” manufacturers (farm breweries, farm
distilleries and farm wineries) also have a cap on the amount of alcoholic
beverages they can produce each year. They also are required to use a
specified amount of ingredients grown or produced in this state in the
manufacture of their alcoholic beverages.
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1.
How old must a person be to serve alcoholic beverages as a bartender
or a waitress/waiter, etc.?A
bartender, waitress/waiter, or any other employee who is selling, taking
orders for, dispensing of handling alcoholic beverages must be at least 18
years of age Employees such as busboys, dishwashers and others who handle
containers that held alcoholic beverages can be under the age of 18 but must
be under the direct supervision of someone is at least 21 years old.
How old must a person be to work in a grocery store or convenience
store that sells beer? The general rule is
that an employee who sells or handles alcoholic beverages must be at least 18
years of age. However, off-premises beer licensees may employ a person under
18 as a cashier for beer sales as long as that person is in the presence of
and under the direct supervision of a person 18 years of age or over.
Off-premises beer licensees may also employ persons under the age of 18 to
stock and handle deliveries of beer, as well as handle beer containers being
returned for redemption.
What must I do to conduct a
teen night in my premises? At
least 10 days prior to the event, you must notify the
What is acceptable proof of
age to purchase alcohol in
College
identifications, employee identification cards or any other form of
identification not listed above cannot be accepted as the primary proof of
age, but can be used as a secondary means to verify the identity of the
person.
Can a restaurant deliver
beer with a food order? Yes,
provided that order is received at the licensed premises in person, by
telephone (or by fax) or via the internet. The sale or delivery of wine or
liquor for off-premises consumption by an on-premises licensee is not
allowed.
If I have a felony
conviction, can I work in a licensed premises? A convicted felon cannot be employed by a licensed
manufacturer or wholesaler. A convicted felon can work for a business with a
retail off-premises license (such as a grocery store or package store), or at
a hotel, restaurant, club or recreational facility with an on-premises
license. A convicted felon cannot work at other establishments with an
on-premises license.
There are two
exceptions to this restriction. If the convicted felon has received an
executive pardon, a certificate of good conduct or other relief from
disabilities provided by law, he/she may work for any licensee. A licensee
may also apply for the written approval of the State Liquor Authority to
permit the employment of a particular person with a felony conviction.
Can a liquor store or
grocery store take returns of unwanted purchases? Off-premises licensees, such as liquor stores and grocery
stores, may, at their discretion, exchange unopened returns from their
customers.
Does an off-premises beer licensee have to take
back empty bottle/can returns if they were not purchased from that licensee? Yes, state law requires the licensee to accept for
redemption any empty beverage container of a product sold by the licensee,
regardless of whether or not the specific container was originally sold by
the licensee.
What can I do about a noisy
or rowdy bar? For
immediate assistance, contact your local police department, sheriff’s office
or the State Police. You can also file a complaint with the SLA by telephone,
written complaint, e-mail, or personal visit to nearest SLA Zone Office (
Can a customer bring in his
or her own liquor/wine/beer into a licensed restaurant or bar? Yes, with the approval of the licensee and as long as the alcoholic
beverage is covered under the establishment’s license. For example, a
customer cannot bring liquor into a restaurant that is only licensed for wine
and beer. The customer must remove any unconsumed portion of the alcoholic
beverage when he/she leaves the licensed premises. The licensee can charge a corkage”
or other fee to a customer bringing his/her own alcoholic beverages to the
licensed premises.
How old do you have to be to
purchase non-alcoholic beers and similar
“non-alcoholic” products? There is no minimum
age requirement for the purchase or consumption of a non-alcoholic beer or
other products identified as “non-alcoholic.” These items contain less than
one-half of one percent of alcohol and are not considered to be alcoholic
beverages.
What is the “unlimited drink offering” law? On-premises licensees are prohibited from offering,
selling, serving or delivering an unlimited number of drinks to a patron or
patrons during a set period of time for a fixed price. For example, a “$20-
all you can drink” special would be a violation of this law. These licensees
are also prohibited from advertising, promoting or charging a price for
drinks that, in the judgment of the
The law does not
apply to: private functions not opened to the public, such as weddings,
banquets, or receptions, or other similar functions,; or to a package of food
and beverages where the service of alcoholic beverages is incidental to the
event or function. In addition, the SLA has determined that 2 for 1, half
price and Happy Hour specials whereby the price of a drink is not lower than
one-half of the premise's normal or regular price for the same drink does not
constitute an attempt to circumvent, the intent and purpose of this statute.
Are football pools, dice
games, sign up sheets illegal? Yes, gambling is prohibited in any business with an
on-premises or off-premises license. This includes social, casual and
professional gambling. Exceptions are the sale of lottery tickets when
licensed by the Division of the Lottery and, at on-premises establishments,
bingo or games of chance authorized by state law.
Does the
Can a liquor or wine
store licensee sell wine: (a) out of state or (b) over the internet?
(a) A liquor or
wine store may sell and ship alcoholic beverages to a customer in another
state as long as that state allows the licensee to make such sales and the
licensee complies with the laws of that state. The alcoholic beverages must
be shipped using a business that holds a trucking permit.
(b) A liquor or
wine store can accept orders placed via the internet. For customers in this
state, the alcoholic beverages can be picked up by the customer at the
licensed premises or the licensee may ship the alcoholic beverage to the
customer’s home or office. Deliveries can be made: by a messenger on foot;
using a vehicle owned/hired and operated by the licensee; or by a business
that holds a trucking permit. Orders made via internet by out-of-state
customers are governed by the instructions set forth above regarding sales to
out-of-state customers.
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How do I file a request for information which is not offered on the
FOIL Office
State Liquor Authority (518) 474-3114 E-MAIL: FOIL@sla.ny.gov
Please be as
specific as possible when requesting records, so that we may easily identify
which records are responsive to your request.
What happens to my request when you receive it? Your request is entered into our tracking
system. We then identify
and locate the records you have requested. We review them for responsiveness
to your request and insure that release of the records complies with the
Freedom of Information Law. The materials are photocopied and sections that
are determined to be non-releasable are blacked out. Sometimes an answer to a
request contains hundreds or thousands of pages, and may take some time to
assemble.
How soon can I expect an
answer? Within five business days of receipt of your request we will send you
the information requested or an acknowledgment of your request with an
estimate of the time needed to review and respond. Generally, most requests
for records are filled within 30 to 60 days.
What items are exempt from
disclosure? The
state’s FOIL Law includes nine reasons for denying access to information. The
most common reasons for disapproval of a request are:
(a) The information may result in an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. For example: home telephone numbers, home addresses, e-mail addresses, and Social Security numbers; (b) The information consists of trade secrets - records that if released could cause harm to the competitive position of a business or enterprise; (c) The information was gathered for law enforcement purposes which, if disclosed, could interfere with due process; (d) The information consists of a list of names and addresses which would be used for commercial or fund-raising activities.
May I see the documents
before I decide if I want copies? Yes. When you send your request to us, you may specify
if you would like to inspect the documents. We will contact you to schedule
an appointment to come to our offices and view the materials. Arrangements
will be made if you desire photocopies of documents. You will be charged for
any copies of documents that had portions blacked out and re-photocopied
before your review, even if you elect not to take them.
What is the fee? You will be charged
25 cents per page for photocopying. Payment can be made with a check, postal
or money order. Please make payable to
What if I want to appeal a
determination that some or all of the records that I have requested are being
withheld? If we
do not timely respond to a FOIL request, or if a request for access to records
has been denied in whole or in part, an appeal may be filed with the
Authority’s appeals officer.
An appeal should be
sent in writing to the following address:
FOIL Appeals Officer
State Liquor Authority
Once an appeal is
received, we will mail an acknowledgment of its receipt to the individual
filing the appeal. Following a review of your request and the explanation
given for the denial, the appeals officer will issue a final determination.
If the determination is to release records, the individual filing the appeal
will be notified of the cost of reproducing the records and, alternatively
that he or she may review the records at the Authority' office.
The appeals
officer's FOIL appeal determination is a final agency action and may be
challenged in state supreme court.
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Surprisingly, before
you can even sell one bottle of liquor on your premises, you have to deal with
cases upon cases of paperwork. Yes, paperwork – meaning you have to do lots of
legwork on your own. If it is feasible, you need to retain the services of a
lawyer to help you work out some fundamental issues of this business like
contracts and zoning issues.
Like all things legal,
you need to inquire about the all federal laws, state laws, city laws and
county restrictions, not to mention zoning laws in your vicinity. A good lawyer
can save you a lot of time and effort when deciphering these laws, and he can
point you in the right direction should zoning issues about your liquor store
become problematic. You need to find out also when you can actually sell liquor
to your patrons. Different states, cities and counties have different
restrictions as to the time any liquor store in their jurisdiction can sell
their products. Non-compliance to the laws is considered a criminal offense.
If hiring a lawyer is
not an option as of yet, then at the very least, you have to research all about
liquor restrictions via the Internet before actually investing time and money
into the venture. However, it should be stressed that hiring the service of a
competent lawyer is really necessary when you are opening your own liquor
store. If all systems seem to be working in your favor, you then must acquire
your licenses and permits for your business – and these should be prominently
displayed in your store at all times.
Your second option is
choosing what kind of liquor store you actually want to set up. Establishing
your own store under a name you have chosen for yourself is one option. Buying
a franchise for an earlier established liquor store is another option. Setting
up a part of a shop (say a small grocery
store) with a few supplies of liquor is another option. Choosing from one
of these three options is involves many things like budget, space and location,
to name a few. One of the perks of buying a franchise is that the franchising
office actually gives you a list of their liquor suppliers.
If however, you should
decide to “wing it,” your next viable step is to get a list of suppliers for
your liquor. This course of action also ends up with a pile of paperwork, and
it would benefit you greatly to know all about alcohol beverage laws for
retailers and licensee responsibilities. You cannot under any circumstance just
buy liquor anywhere because there will periodic checks made by Alcohol and
Tobacco Enforcement Agency. You also need to keep receipts from your sales and
other invoices should the agents or police ask for them during these checks.
Non-compliance to the Agency and its representatives can be considered as a
misdemeanor.
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