Could Wine Be Coming to Utah Grocery Stores?

Written by: MADELINE FERGUSON

Utah is known for many things, world-class skiing, five incredible National Parks and prohibition-esque (OK, maybe not that bad) liquor laws.

From state-run liquor stores, 3.2 tap beer and no-booze sales on Sunday, folks looking to get a buzz in Utah have a bit to work around. One of those obstacles has a chance (albeit small) to go away.

A ballot initiative seeks to put wine and spirits in Utah grocery and convenience stores, among other things related to booze in the beehive state. Currently, you can only purchase wine and spirits in state-run liquor stores with limited hours and long lines.

The ballot initiative, filed by citizens, would force state-run liquor stores to be sold to private owners, making Utah's Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS) a wholesaler only. It would also open the door for privately run liquor stores and reduce the markup on alcohol in the state.

"This will allow Costco or Trader Joe's to essentially get a package agency license and bring their products in, and whether they clear it through the state or they have a direct shipping wholesaler bring it to them," Jeff Carter, primary sponsor of the initiative, told Fox13. "They’ll be able to buy it at that 30% markup and then retail it."

This initiative is great news for lovers of the famous Trader Joe’s Two Buck Chuck, an incredible bottle of wine (kind of).

Good news for those of you wanting to order special wines, the ballot initiative would also end the ban on ordering booze into the state by mail. So you can finally join that wine of the month club you’ve been eyeing.

Now, the initiative will move onto the public hearing phase and then signature gathering, it needs 134,000. It’s important to note that the state currently makes A LOT of money on alcohol sales, $577 million last year and this initiative would reduce that by quite a bit.

If you think change in Utah’s liquor law is hopeless, it’s not. Recently, there have been some changes to long-standing laws like the Zion Curtain and cold beer from liquor stores. Just a decade ago, restaurants had to cover all alcohol so children could not see it, that was called the Zion Curtain. And more recently, liquor stores were allowed to add refrigerators for beer. It used to be illegal to sell cold beer out of a liquor store.

What do you think of the initiative? Would you sign?