Banjo
12-17-2009, 12:32 PM
Limit beer types = less street drinking
From KATU News
By Margy Lynch KATU News and KATU.com Staff
Video (http://www.katu.com/news/local/79391147.html#IDCThread)
PORTLAND, Ore. - The city’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement wants businesses to voluntarily stop selling certain kinds of beer because it says fewer people will drink on the street if they do.
But not all businesses said they are on board with the idea and the city said if it doesn’t get 100 percent compliance from stores it will request the state to demand the change.
A large area of stores from Northwest Lovejoy in the Pearl District down to the Marquam Bridge and from the Interstate 405 ramp east to the river would be impacted.
The change would limit what beer customers could buy in convenience stores and would prohibit stores from selling single containers of malt liquor or domestic beer of more than 22 ounces.
It would also prohibit the sale of malt liquor or domestic beer with more than 5.75 percent alcohol, box wine, and multiple alcoholic beverages larger than 12 ounces.
So a six-pack of 16 ounces of beer would be out.
“But the market really has gone to 16-ounce cans of six-pack beer, whether it be Budweiser, Coors or Miller,” said Doug Peterson, owner of Peterson’s convenience stores.
He owns three stores in Southwest Portland.
He said he’s fine with some changes but he said the rules go too far.
“A large portion of my business is in microbrews and so it would impact my business,” he said.
The higher-end microbrews would be eliminated because of their alcohol content.
He said he would no longer be able to carry Full Sail ale because of its nine percent alcohol content.
He said it would be something “tourists would buy to take back to the hotel room.”
Plus, he said the prices on these are high enough and don’t appeal to street drinkers.
“These products are not cheap,” Peterson said and listed off the prices: “$6.25, 5.95, and $5.25.”
Some customers said the city is overstepping its bounds.
“They (customers) should be able to buy those,” said Ulis Hardiman. “They’re legal beverages and go to the man’s bottom line and go to the man’s business.”
Hardiman said he rarely sees street drinkers. Besides, he said if people want to find the hard stuff, they will.
The city said they’ll be conducting a survey and will hold several public meetings about the issue.
More (http://www.katu.com/news/local/79391147.html#IDCThread)
From KATU News
By Margy Lynch KATU News and KATU.com Staff
Video (http://www.katu.com/news/local/79391147.html#IDCThread)
PORTLAND, Ore. - The city’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement wants businesses to voluntarily stop selling certain kinds of beer because it says fewer people will drink on the street if they do.
But not all businesses said they are on board with the idea and the city said if it doesn’t get 100 percent compliance from stores it will request the state to demand the change.
A large area of stores from Northwest Lovejoy in the Pearl District down to the Marquam Bridge and from the Interstate 405 ramp east to the river would be impacted.
The change would limit what beer customers could buy in convenience stores and would prohibit stores from selling single containers of malt liquor or domestic beer of more than 22 ounces.
It would also prohibit the sale of malt liquor or domestic beer with more than 5.75 percent alcohol, box wine, and multiple alcoholic beverages larger than 12 ounces.
So a six-pack of 16 ounces of beer would be out.
“But the market really has gone to 16-ounce cans of six-pack beer, whether it be Budweiser, Coors or Miller,” said Doug Peterson, owner of Peterson’s convenience stores.
He owns three stores in Southwest Portland.
He said he’s fine with some changes but he said the rules go too far.
“A large portion of my business is in microbrews and so it would impact my business,” he said.
The higher-end microbrews would be eliminated because of their alcohol content.
He said he would no longer be able to carry Full Sail ale because of its nine percent alcohol content.
He said it would be something “tourists would buy to take back to the hotel room.”
Plus, he said the prices on these are high enough and don’t appeal to street drinkers.
“These products are not cheap,” Peterson said and listed off the prices: “$6.25, 5.95, and $5.25.”
Some customers said the city is overstepping its bounds.
“They (customers) should be able to buy those,” said Ulis Hardiman. “They’re legal beverages and go to the man’s bottom line and go to the man’s business.”
Hardiman said he rarely sees street drinkers. Besides, he said if people want to find the hard stuff, they will.
The city said they’ll be conducting a survey and will hold several public meetings about the issue.
More (http://www.katu.com/news/local/79391147.html#IDCThread)