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Thursday, March 8, 2012

Booze "BillGates" Bidding on All of Washington's Old Liquor Stores

Posted by Brendan Kiley on Thu, Mar 8, 2012 at 12:11 PM

This morning, Washington began an online auction to determine the fates of the 167 state liquor stores that will have to close by May 31. Under initiative 1183, private stores that want to sell sprits have to be 10,000 square feet—except the old, small state stores which are being grandfathered in.

Two critical things about the auction: 1. Bidders are trying to win the right to sell liquor in the state stores, but will still need to negotiate a lease with the landlord (or look for another location within a mile radius). 2. The WSLCB is auctioning off individual store rights AND the purchase of all the store rights in a single bid.

Right now, the action is for all the state stores in single bid, which are currently going for $26,100. (A link to the auction is here, but you have to get a username and password to watch the bid histories.)

The current high bidder is "Sangha" The two bids just below that belong to "BillGates" and "richardgates." I'm guessing these are aliases... Also bidding on all the state stores and a few of the individual ones: "GENOROSSO."

We'll keep you posted on this very exciting sale of state surplus as it develops. The auction closes on April 20.

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Comments (9) RSS

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If there is going to be any variety or selection at the retail level in this state, this is where it's going to come from.

Please, please, please let people who know what they're doing and care about a good selection buy these things!

Posted by lopes on March 8, 2012 at 12:16 PM

I wonder what Costco is using as their alias.

Posted by Nate Dogg on March 8, 2012 at 12:23 PM

What's up with the photo on store #8? Did they do some MS paint editing or something?

Posted by downanotch on March 8, 2012 at 12:47 PM

@3 Yeah, that's really weird... I wonder what was so bad about the real sign that they felt the need to cover it up so hastily?

Posted by UNPAID COMMENTER on March 8, 2012 at 1:06 PM

None of this will prevent the wise amongst us from starting our new careers as liquor and MJ distributors, in the new 3 case a day limit Future.

It's so bright, we have to wear shades.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on March 8, 2012 at 1:10 PM

@lopes

I was worried about selection at first too. But Bevmo usually has a pretty good selection of products and they're moving into the state. Metropolitan Market is pledging to carry a lot of local stuff and asking for feedback on what brands to carry. Plus Wine Warehouse is big enough and has applied for a spirits license as well, and the guy who runs it is really going to make sure we have access to the good and hard to find stuff.

As long as their is a distributor stocking it, I'm pretty sure you'll be able to get anything you want. The downside is you might be limited to going to one of just a few locations.

Posted by arbeck

on March 8, 2012 at 1:58 PM

@arbeck--

Yeah, I know all of that, but it's that last point that kills me. The first BevMo is supposed to go into Southcenter. I live in NE Seattle. That's 25 miles. Maybe a Northgate spot would be nice. Still, nothing downtown, Captol Hill, Ballard, etc.

If you live in the city core, it's going to be up to these stores. I'm holding out hope. Fingers crossed.

Posted by lopes on March 8, 2012 at 2:16 PM

There's always Wine World off I-5.

They have quality selection, so one expects they will have that in the future too.

And Ballard Market.

Two places I expect great things of.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on March 8, 2012 at 2:30 PM