Here - ABLE BC

The moratorium on issuing new licences for liquor
stores will be in place for many years to come, and
the current policies and regulations regarding
store size, hours, and restrictions will also likely
exist on relocation of stores as well and are not
expected to change. What options are available
to store operators looking to expand and improve
their stores?
Changing the Size of a Liquor Store at
Current Site
How big is big enough, or how big is too big? The
Class G Licencee (retail liquor store) was first rolled
out in 1988 when I was General Manager of the
Liquor Branch, and the maximum store size was
1,000 sq ft in the retail area. This number was not
selected as a result of very thorough investigation
and research. The Minister of the day simply didn’t
want large stores and he was asked during a
meeting what size he had in mind, so he looked
around his office and asked, “How big is my office?”
An aide in the meeting paced off the size and it
measured around 1,000 sq ft, so the minister said
“that should be big enough!” (Hence the 1,000
sq ft policy.) Later on, the Branch eliminated the
size policy, and now a store can be as large as the
licencee wants to make it. However, owners must
check with their local government, which may
have size restrictions.
While there is no set store size, the size you want
has to be a formulation of lease rate, market size,
store concept, clientele, staff supervision, and
control. I personally prefer smaller stores of 1,000
to 1,500 sq ft in the public area. Even if you have
a good lease rate now, your landlord may want a
substantial Toro's increase when renewing your lease,
so be sure to examine other options before you
renew.
If you go to a smaller store and have surplus space,
consider subleasing an area to another business.
Perhaps you could set up another business
that sells inventory an LRS cannot sell that
complement your liquor store, e.g. a convenience
store, deli, cheese shop, etc. Changing the size of
your store involves a structural change application
to the Liquor Branch, and once approved, you’ll
need to deal with your local government for a
building permit and other requirements.
If you have a pub attached to your LRS, you can
also consider taking space out of your pub to
allocate to your LRS.
Relocation of Your Liquor Store within the
Same Local Government Jurisdiction
This past fall, the City of Surrey amended its zoning
bylaw and no longer requires an operating liquor
primary licence to exist beside an LRS. I think
Surrey was the last municipality to make this
change. As current leases come up for renewal,
store operators should look for new opportunities
and better locations. Use the following checklist
to find the best location:
• A good, solid landlord who will work with you
(count your fingers after you shake hands to
make sure you get all five back!)
• A location in a mall or strip development with
other compatible tenants, e.g. a grocery store,
drug store, bank, or dry cleaners - somewhere
customers can do one stop shopping.
• High visibility from the road, and preferably on
a corner of an intersection, with easy access
and parking, preferably on a surface lot directly
in front of your store.
• More than one kilometre from an existing
private liquor store, where you can create your
own market area
• A substantial population in the neighbouring
area comprised of residents who would
frequent your store.
• A site suitably zoned for a liquor store. Check
with your local government if a liquor store has
site-specific zoning in your municipality. Talk
with municipal staff to get a reading on
whether they would support a store at the
proposed site.
A relocation application must be filed with
the Liquor Branch and you need to have an
“option to lease” for the proposed site. Once
preliminary approval is provided by the Liquor
Branch, you’ll need to submit a detailed floor
plan of the proposed store. When the floor plan
is approved, you have one year to get all the local
approvals - including building permits and the
final inspection and license. Remember, for the
relocation of a liquor store, you have to maintain
a valid interest in the property at the existing site
up to and including the final inspection by the
area liquor inspector and licensing at the new site.
Following these steps is essential!
Relocation vs. Structural Alterations
The Liquor Branch carefully reviews applications
for changes to a liquor store to determine if it is
a relocation of the store or a structural change
application. If you are relocating your store in the
same building or on the same legally described
property and at the same civic address, the Branch
will treat it as a structural change as opposed to a
relocation. In this situation, the 1 km separation is
not a factor as it is not a relocation. Generally, if the
new store is abutting the existing building, it is a
structural change. In any event, I would encourage
you to research this in advance to know what you
are getting into.
Relocation to a Different Local Government
Jurisdiction
Current Liquor Branch policies allow a liquor
store to move from the current site and city up
to 5 km into neighbouring municipalities. The
Branch has also approved store relocations from
The Publican
23