Ten more Beer Store locations across Ontario will be closing down effective Sept. 14.
It’s the latest reduction announcement, as dozens of other locations have closed since the beginning of the year.
“This is not an easy decision and not one we make lightly,” said Ozzie Ahmed, vice president of retail for the Beer Store.
“All efforts will be made to support employees through this process in alignment with commitments and agreements,” he said.
While Ahmed says the business has had to close some locations to adapt to the province’s changing beer retail market, an expert says it’s a sign that the Beer Store is making “a slow and painful departure.”
“It’s certainly putting the writing on the wall that there doesn’t seem to be a plan in place to save them … There doesn’t seem to be any new strategy or innovation on the horizon to save the remaining stores,” said Lisa Hutcheson, retail strategist at J.C. Williams Group.
Access to alcohol and other goods in convenience stores is one factor leading to The Beer Store’s reductions, says Hutcheson.
Booze has been readily available in convenience stores across Ontario since Sept. 2024, thanks to a push from Premier Doug Ford’s government.
“When you think about The Beer store today it is really just beer and there isn’t anything else,” said Hutcheson, adding the company should’ve re-strategized to keep stores open years ago.
“There’s really nothing interesting about it. There’s no experience, there’s no customer service. You get your beer and you just leave.”
Hutcheson says the company, which still has hundreds of locations, can still reinvent itself, but that will take time to research and execute.
The Beer Store said in a media release that customers are still encouraged to return empty alcohol containers to any of its locations.
The company will be closing the following 10 locations:
