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The Dartmouth
July 11, 2025 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

State to consider change to liquor law

A proposed change to state law would allow privately owned stores, like Stinson's Village Store, to sell hard liquor.
A proposed change to state law would allow privately owned stores, like Stinson's Village Store, to sell hard liquor.

Only state-owned retailers, controlled by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, have been permitted to sell hard liquor since the end of prohibition in 1933. Private distributors, including grocers, may hold what is called an "off-premises" permit, which allows them to sell beer and wine, according to John Dumais, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Grocers Association, a state-wide trade group. New Hampshire is currently among 19 "control states" that do not allow non-state stores to sell spirits, according to a publication by the Beverage Information Group.

Dumais said the change in the liquor licensing policy is "still in the talking stage," but that the issue of spirit sales in grocery stores "has been brought to the front burner" in recent talks with the state legislature.

An increase in the number of stores selling hard liquor and the hours that spirits are available would bring a "substantial benefit to the state," Dumais said.

The sale of licenses and the increased availability of hard liquor could generate revenue, according to the Grocers Association official News and Food Report.

Privately owned stores that are not located near state-owned stores would generate significant revenue if granted hard liquor licenses, according to Colin Manning, press secretary to Gov. John Lynch, D-N.H. Lynch has had "many conversations with the liquor commission about maximizing revenue and whether it makes sense to expand the number of agency stores" that sell spirits, Manning said. The governor requested that the Grocers Association and the State Liquor Commission collaborate on how to raise state revenue.

Jack Stinson, who has owned Stinson's Village Store since 1978, said he is optimistic about the possibility of expanding his selection of alcohol. Stinson, a member of the Grocers Association, said it is likely the state law will be changed at some point in the next year, adding that legislators he knows "already think it's in the works."

"What they're trying to do is stimulate revenue sales, and that means increase the distribution spots," Stinson said. "The Grocers Association is not trying to put any state stores out of business, they're just trying to help the state make more money."

Dumais said he expects that those opposed to the change are concerned about youth access to alcohol. To alleviate these concerns, the Grocers Association supports greater training of employees and enforcement of carding policies, as well as education in schools and communities about responsible consumption of alcohol, according to the Grocers Association report.

Dumais said the sale of hard liquor by itself in state stores could encourage binge drinking, whereas selling it in grocery stores would encourage reasonable consumption of the product as a complement to food.

The implications of the change on campus "could be huge," Hannah Simon '09, social chair of Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority, said.

"Accessibility is a factor on a campus where many students don't have cars," Simon said.

Simon, a member of The Dartmouth Staff, said she does not believe that increased access to hard alcohol will necessarily be a positive change for the College community. She said she expects the change to make planning parties easier for social chairs by enabling them to buy all of their alcohol at the same store without having to drive to the nearest state-owned store or plan for restricted hours.

The proposed change will likely not affect local restaurants significantly, as it is more cost-effective for restaurants to buy the majority of their liquor from state stores or directly from the state than from privately owned stores, Dumais said. The grocers' market is primarily restricted to "impulse buying and single bottle purchases," he added.

Marc Milowski, owner of the Blue Sky Restaurant Group that operates Molly's Restaurant and Bar and Jessie's Restaurant and Tavern, said he believes that alcohol sales in his restaurants are unrelated to sales in off-premise locations. Milowski said he is not concerned about the proposition. The expansion of spirit sales to non-state stores is "not such a bad idea as long as it's controlled properly," he said, adding that "many other states are not totally controlled and seem to be doing fine."

Mark Bodi, chairman of the New Hampshire State Liquor Commission, was not available for comment at press time.

The New Hampshire chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving did not return requests for comment.