PITTSBURGH -- Two Giant Eagle stores in Allegheny and Washington counties will be the first grocery stores in the Pittsburgh area allowed to sell beer.
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board unanimously approved licenses for an existing store on Washington Road in South Strabane, Washington County, and a Giant Eagle Market District store opening Nov. 5 at Settlers Ridge in Robinson Township, Allegheny County.
Video:
2 Giant Eagles First In Pittsburgh Area To Sell BeerBeer will be sold out of cafe areas in each store. Customers can buy the equivalent of two six-packs to go or two beers to drink inside.
"We have a two-beer maximum, and it needs to be consumed with some type of food," Giant Eagle spokesman Rob Borella said.
Pennsylvania beer distributors, who have fought Giant Eagle's efforts, must sell beer by the case.
"I think what they really would like to do is to sell cases on their shelves within the supermarket, and I think that's their eventual goal," said Dan Tomino, who owns a beer distributorship. "But I don't think it would be a very good thing for anyone, expect for maybe Giant Eagle."
Giant Eagle said most of its customers are not people who would want to buy a whole case of beer.
"This Giant Eagle Market District will probably have up to 250 different varieties of beer, and that will be domestic and imported. But we're going to have a real focus on craft beers, microbrews and specialty beers," Borella said.
The company still has
several pending license applications with the LCB, asking for permission to sell beer at these Giant Eagle stores:
- Wexford Towne Center, Pine Township
- West View Park, West View
- Mountain View Drive, West Mifflin
- Waterfront Drive, Homestead
- Monroeville Boulevard, Monroeville
- Route 30, Hempfield Township
- Tarentum Bridge Road, New Kensington
- Town Center Drive, Allegheny Township
- Washington Road, Peters Township
- Seven Fields Boulevard, Seven Fields
Copyright 2009 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
