The Advisor Magazine - Issue #5 : simplebooklet.com

The past 18 months have us appreciating the familiar signs ofSummer. The Fourth of July holiday acts much like the Christmasactivity for liquor stores and restaurant/bar owners.It seems consumers are past the pandemic and getting back to it.In this issue, we take a close look at full capacity restaurants, cocktails-to-go staying for a while, and the impact of July 4th. Has the dust finallysettled?Page 4 - I'm Just A Bill:The Fine Line Between On& Off PremisePage 7 - Expert SpotlightLawler Weighs In On TheLiquor World TodayPage 10 - Buyer CaseStudy: "I wouldn't havebeen able to buy withoutthem."As things heat up for Summer, people flock to local patios,beaches and resume inter-state travel throughout the country.Sparks are flying with local and state-wide alcohol legislationdebates in Massachusetts.Looking ForFeatured LiquorStore Listings?www.LiquorLicenseAdvisor.comFounder, CEOLiquor License AdvisorD A N N E W C O M BLiquor License Advisor has beena trusted resource in the liquorstore and license industry since2002.

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While some fight for these changesto stick around long term, others findtoo many risk factors. These billsremain up for continuous debate asstates weigh the pros and consamidst navigating the new post-pandemic world. One bill that hasbeen making its way throughlegislation is the ban on nips inMassachusetts. Mashpee on CapeCod has officially set the precedent inbanning them, with Falmouthfollowing behind in October 2021,and Framingham brings forth a policyto ban the use of styrofoam, nips, andany other plastic resin. In regards to new liquor policiesaround alcohol delivery, WCVBreports on several incidents involvinga popular Boston beach. “Along theSouth Boston coast, lifeguards andMassachusetts State Police are alsokeeping a watchful eye on alcoholconsumption, and trying to crackdown on a new issue: alcoholdeliveries.Boston city councilor Ed Flynn saidthere have been numerouscomplaints of people ordering liquordeliveries to addresses along MStreet or Carson Beach, and thenbringing the alcohol onto the beach.”These new era liquor policies areexpected to experience several kinks,and while the battle is still beingfought and bills continue to bepassed, safety regulation andenforcement of the fine print remainspriority. byDan NewcombWith summer in full swing, it appears nearly the entire country was open withlittle to no restrictions on the Fourth of July. The majority of states have liftedrestrictions fully, while others such as Washington DC, California, and NewYork still require masks for unvaccinated people indoors, and Hawaii is thelast state left with masks inside for all. The conversation has flipped to the discussion around which laws to lift orcontinue to enforce, especially when it comes to the liquor world. A quarantinestaple for much of the nation that’s been bored in the house, a distribution thatdid not require leaving the house was critical. That’s where e-commercestepped in. Several platforms gave the ability to order alcohol from thecomfort of your home or get it delivered. Another exception to pre-pandemic liquor laws was the allowance ofrestaurants to offer takeout or delivery of beer, wine and, in some cases,spirits or pre-made cocktails. Hot Summer Trends & UpdatesTHE ADVISOR MAGAZINE  | 3www.LiquorLicenseAdvisor.com

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Article byDan NewcombDiZoglio encourages engagementamongst local restaurants todemonstrate the significant role thislaw plays in enabling their business.She highlights, “how important this isand how much revenue it cangenerate, how much it’s been helpingthem, and how much residentsactually are enjoying this newaddition to our restaurantcommunity.” T H E F I N E L I N E B E T W E E N O N & O F F P R E M I S EOver the last year, a bill was passedaround the greater Massachusettsarea, allowing restaurants to offerbeer, wine, and cocktails to go. Flashforward to June 2021, and thedebate continues whether or notthe emergency provision shouldcontinue. This month, lawmakersconfirmed restaurants’ and bars’continued ability to sell cocktails togo through until May 2022. Whilegetting booze at just any store maynot be an option, any restaurantsare!“DiZoglio, a Methuen Democratwho has pushed for the takeoutdrinks measures as a way to helprestaurants recover from theCOVID-19 pandemic andassociated shutdowns, filed a bill(S 196) that would extend theauthorization for to-go beer, wineand mixed drink sales until June 15,2023 — two years beyond the endof the COVID-19 state ofemergency.Another bill (S 247), filed by Sen.John Velis, would permanentlyallow establishments with liquorlicenses to sell beer and wine to-go.” While this news is crucial forrestaurants in order to stay afloat, itclosely threatens the laws aroundalcohol consumption. BILLS, BUSINESS & BOOZEAs Robert Mellion of MassPackput it: there are consequenceswhen it comes to enablingserving alcohol off the premises.Not only that, but it is pinning onand off premise sales againstone another, leading to verticalintegration. Understandably,allowing consumers to carrypremade cocktails out of aneating establishment does poseas an issue, but does it raise thelikelihood of a customerchoosing to crack open a tallboy upon leaving a liquor store?While laws do prohibit this, thesame goes for restaurant-goers. On the opposing side, DianaDiZoglio says, “the only otherperson to testify on to-go drinkslegislation, pushed back againstMellion’s testimony, calling it“disgraceful” to “shift the blamefor substance use disorder” ontorestaurants.”“I think if the gentleman beforeme has some challenges withalcohol being used in thecommonwealth at all, and he’sserious about that, he probablywouldn’t be representing thepackage store industry andtrying to monopolize the sale ofalcohol in the commonwealth,”she said.THE ADVISOR MAGAZINE  | 5WHAT'S NEXT?“While this news iscrucial forrestaurants in orderto stay afloat, itclosely threatens thelaws around alcoholconsumption. "Continued on Page 6.

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Balancing the scales between on and off premise is not an easy task: a steady give and take when itcomes to law and supply, versus monetization and demand. Although DiZoglio intends to see this become permanent where the scales will require morepermanent stability, the initial reasoning behind this law was to stabilize these businesses' operationsand keep them running. There is no competition between on and off premise if one of them isnonexistent. THE ADVISOR MAGAZINE  | 6Most importantly, “[These restaurants] have been telling us how much of a tremendous impact thishas had on them,” she said. “They have told us that they’ve been able to keep employees on thepayroll, keep their lights on, pay their rent, pay their back rent.”Priority lies among the on and off premise laws, keeping citizens safe while keeping businessesrunning.

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by Natali WilliamsIn November of 2020, Liquor License Advisor honorablybrought Glenn Lawler onto their Executive Team as Director ofBusiness Development. Glenn Lawler has deep roots in the Wholesale Liquor industrywith almost 3 decades at Horizon Beverage finally serving asDirector of Casinos and Venues. Lawler was instrumental inthe development of Horizon’s Stealth Division, one of thenation’s first on-premise focused sales divisions and grewthat line of business to revenues in excess of $40 million.Lawler then stepped into the role of developing and leadingHorizon’s National Account department with many regionaland national high-profile accounts. Lawler takes charge in driving Liquor License Advisor’sbusiness and increasing its revenue, creating new businessopportunities and building and expanding the presence of thecompany and its brands into new markets. Here's the Q&A with our own Special Projects Manager,Natali Williams, who took to interviewing Lawler. Starting off with the question that feels necessary to askin this industry- what is your favorite kind of wine or yourdrink of choice?I guess it's within multiple categories for me, I enjoybeverage, both with my favorite go to beverage inaddition to learning and exploring the many other styleand types. I have been in the adult beverage industry for along time, and I found my way into the business becauseof my passion for wine & travel. I really enjoy Italianwines; they have multiple layers like Amarone andBarolos- I am personally looking for depth and manymulti-dimensional flavors. So, pretty much Italian wine ismy first go-to followed by Cote de Rhone and Provence.Of course, a great Pinot Noir from Burgundy and theNorthwest make their way to my table. It would be no surprise to anyone that I enjoy Bourbonespecially as a winter Manhattan but, in the summertime,it’s being refreshed with Tequila both on the rocks or in aPaloma. GLENN LAWLER,Liquor License Advisor - Seller Specialist& 30 year wholesale liquor industryveteran.THE ADVISOR MAGAZINE  | 7

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With trends we see blooming around this new era, wheredo you see those current trends, post-COVID, heading? Covid accentuated many trends of which many willcontinue, Selters, RTD cocktails, Wine in Cans andpremiumization of many categories. Just the multitude ofnew entries into the Seltzer and RTD areas isoverwhelming. Retailers have made room for them and intime there will be a normal shake out and a leveling. Theconsumers have embraced these areas especially the RTDcocktails- they found a comfortable way to enjoy thatmade to order cocktail without having to have all thepremium ingredients and proper measuring at theirfingertips. As sports venues started to reopen, they found that usingRTD’s, Selters and both Wine and Beer in cans was thefastest way with control to serve their guests, of coursethe labor pool drove many of these decisions as thesevenues came up to speed. With venues not operatingevery day this change underlines the need for freshness tothe guest. Brand premiumization was already happening when theCovid lockdowns started, consumers reacted, and theyshow it by selecting iconic labels. Their dollars spentrelated to their trust in the brand. Sadly, the Craftcategories did suffer but they will regain their place as wegain momentum- these brands have special people &stories that need to be shared. For those of us that have been in beverage for a while wehave experienced marketplace consolidation, more so inthe supplier side. This always seems to continue but atthe same time new players are filling in the void left by thisconsolidation with innovation and creativity. I believe that consumers have adopted and accepted e-commerce, its easy; look at the app, point & click, soundssimple and it is. It’s become that “third place” experience.Many local retailers have embraced this movement withone of the many 3rd party platforms, they are able to useanalytics to buy better and serve their customer backed bythe data. There certainly has been a worldwide growthphenomenon within this channel and beverage alcohol isbecoming a big factor. How do you see the personalization in terms of diversityand selections being catered to by liquor store owners?Beverage alcohol is very personal- not everyone likes andenjoys the same things. Operators that invest in peoplethat can guide the consumer, share information and buildupon the buying experience in a retail outlet will see thatconsumer more often. It’s the relationship that isestablished and this also helps to better understandinghow their marketplace is trending not only by categorybut by the relationship to price and value. It’s a tough undertaking; but making it personal with thebroad spectrum of labels available today but also beingdiverse enough & recognizing who is shopping in yourstore and who you want to attract long term. How has the industry evolved over time?Well, one big thing that's happened is... I go right back toconsolidation. Remember there used to be a pharmacy inevery town? A hardware store in every town. And Mr. andMrs. Jones's auto dealership? This continues in manymarkets much faster than in Massachusetts. Theindependent beverage alcohol operators have a strongmembership, and they stand together. (Continued toPage 9)THE ADVISOR MAGAZINE  | 8

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What would you say, right now, is the biggest opportunityfor retail owners? Well, that’s a self-serving question, we sell liquor licensesand the associated business assets, but with all that asideevery owner should visit their store as a customer on aregular basis. I’m talking about curb appeal, updating theselection, in store organization and cleanliness. Ascustomers are venturing out again give them a newexperience- say hello, welcome them back and say thankyou. Make every attempt to re-connect with them and re-earn their business. Ask yourself one question; “howwould I like to be served & my business appreciated” ? What advice would you give owners in today'smarketplace?Stay connected with your customers and the communitythat you operate in. Find your niche, exploit it but neverleave it the same. Bring innovation, creativity and passionto your store to drive you and the direction of yourbusiness. Build those relationships because at the end ofthe day; people buy from people. What's the biggest thing that you've learned in almostthree decades of experience?Right back to building relationships, trust, integrity andhonesty. Deliver your promises and only promise what youcan deliver. This is not just in business but in daily life, Iguess that old paper route taught me early values. Why did you get into the liquor business?A unique opportunity presented itself to me and with myrestaurant background and my passion for wine it seemeda natural fit. Before my tenure with Horizon Beverage, Iwas involved in a small wine importing company. Wewould travel to Italy and visit small wineries, have dinnerat the kitchen table, taste, negotiate and make importdecisions. For the most part many of these wineries hadnever been represented in the USA. There was animportant factor though, they needed to trust me, I wastaking their wines to represent them in America. Weneeded to build trust quickly, and I needed to trust themequally. It was a good lesson in people and when pushcomes to shove. What would you say the best way to increase the valueof a store for an owner would be? Be prepared if you are even thinking about selling downthe road to have a plan and a timeline. Take time to clean,brighten it up, take down old merchandising, remove thepaper signs; basically, put up a new welcome sign. Resetthe shelves and eliminate the one-two odd bottles thatjust seem to be hanging around. Revisit your product mix,does it need updating? Look around your store as if you were buying it, is itconducive to your core values? The books need to be accurate; value is measured byyour financial information; you need transparency torepresent your operation. Reach out directly:email: glawler@llausa.comoffice: 781.319.9800cell: 617.817.5635

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THE ADVISOR MAGAZINE  | 10QUESTIONS ABOUT LISTINGS?Call/Text Ben Jerrom Partner & Buyer SpecialistCell: 413.544.4960This very attractive, clean, and appropriately organizedAll Alcohol Liquor store is located in a very activelifestyle mall, anchored by multiple national brands, andis easily accessed by local highways. The store isthoughtfully designed to provide a relaxed shoppingexperience. There is a wide variety of wines, as the storecarries well over 1,000 wines in blonde wooden racksand featured stacks, featuring both everyday selections,as well as hand-selected premium wines for specialoccasions and gifting. Multiple large cooler doors and acase walk-in cooler provide a generous craft beerselection. The store also offers an ample selection ofpremium spirits with a good representation of Craft, aswell as lottery & tobacco. Don’t miss your opportunity to own a store in a vast andlively shopping center in a well-populated Massachusettstown!NEW Listing: Liquor Store for Salein Active Lifestyle Mall!Plymouth County, MA $550,000 by Ben JerromContact Ben Jerrom directly for further details on all of our current listings.Package Store with Full LiquorMiddlesex County, MAEssex County, MAStore Type: Store Location: Asking Price: $425,000Package Store with Full Liquor$375,000Wine & Malt Convenience Store $249,900In The Heart of BostonPackage Store with Full LiquorEssex County, MA$2,500,000 - Price EnhancedWine & Malt Convenience Store Middlesex County, MA$114,900

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For over 2 decades, our Founder, Dan Newcomb has been inthe liquor license industry. Every phone call that comes intoour office is about a liquor license. We don't work in anyother industry besides liquor stores and licenses.We provide owners with a "firewall" to protect them from allof the pitfalls we know are out there throughout atransaction because we know how to prepare the deal andnavigate the waters. We're here for you.Dan NewcombCEO & FounderBen JerromBuyer SpecialistJennifer MedicoTransactionSpecialistGlenn LawlerSeller SpecialistMichelle HansfordSeller ConciergeNatali WilliamsSpecial ProjectsSherri BeauchampMarketing SpecialistKyle NewcombSales Team Assistant

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© Liquor License Advisor 2021, All Rights Reserved Unless Otherwise NotedSpecial Contributions & Acknowledgements:- Features Editor & Editorial Assistant: Natali Williams;- Magazine & Digital Editor: Sherri Beauchamp.THE ADVISOR MAGAZINE  | 165 - Hill, J. (2021, June 29). Mashpee nip ban starts Thursday despite liquor store owner objections. 6 - McNamara, N. (2021, June 30). Framingham Ban On Nips, Styrofoam: Council To Review Proposal. 7 - Popular Mass. beach facing earlier lockdown amid rash of incidents. (2021, June 24, wcbv.com)Fun In The Sun: Hot Summer Trends & Updates (Pg 3)1 - Ballotopedia. (n.d.). Massachusetts Beer and Wine in Food Stores Initiative (2020).2 - Bartholomew, A. (n.d.). Groceries and Beer, a One Stop Shop: How a Potential Ballot Question Could Make ThisTrue.3 - Blumenthal, R. L. (2021, June 16). Massachusetts Restaurants Can Continue Selling Booze To-Go Through May1, 2022. 4- Service, S. H. (2021, June 28). To-go cocktails extension triggering continued debate. I'm Just A Bill: The Fine Line Between Off & On Premise (Pg 4)

The Advisor Magazine - Issue #5

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