NV EXPERIMENT A_ FIRST FOR B.C.

Dru

THE NORTH VANCOUVER branch of London Drugs
became the first drugstore in B.C. to sell wine and other

wine products Monday.

“We've only had one newative
remark about if" the store's man.
ager, Ken Schultz, said) Manday
afternoon, ‘Ht's been great. P can't
believe the reaction so far."

The provincial Liquer Distrihu-
tion Branch C.DB) approved the
experimental four-month licence
for Andres Wines of Port Moody
to set up a Winery Agency Store in
the London Drugs outlet Friday
after what) Andres spokesman
John Houghton said was ‘18
months of more’ of negotiation
and inquiry.

Because Andres is the wine
shop's licencee, only its products
will be sold from the London
Drugs outlet.

LDB spokesman Peter Choate
said Tuesday the drugstore must
adhere to the same restrictions that
apply to government liquor stores
when selling the wine products.

Asked why the licence was ap-
proved for a drugstore rather than
a grocery store, he said LDB
policies currently do not allow the
sale of alcoholic beverages in
stores that sell groceries.

Under the terms of the licence,
the in-store wine shop must be
closed three days during the year:
Christmas Day, Good Friday and
Easter Sunday.

In addition, customers patroniz-
ing the shop must be 19 years of
age or older and must provide
identification to sales clerks.

Schultz said all his store’s
employees were also required to be

By HIMOTHY I

News Reporter

SHAN

19 or older before the licence wits
approved.

Four employees, he said, had
consequently been transferred to
the drugstore chain's Hastings
Street location.

Choate said the Andres wine
shop in London Drugs was the
22nd free-standing wine store now
licensed in B.C. and represented
the provincial government's desire
to loosen existing policies for
wines, wine coolers and ciders.

He added that expanding the
in-store wine shop to serve other
alcoholic beverages in the future
was not an option under current
LDB policies.

Continuation of the Andres
licence in the London Drugs store
beyond four months, he said,
would be assessed in July and be
based on such considerations as
customer satisfaction with the ser-
vice.

Houghton said the London
Drugs experiment, which is Andres
first free-standing outlet, ‘‘is just
another step in retailing wine. And
it is nothing more than an experi-
ment. No one knows how the
public will take to it. But I think
what is important is what the
public wants and what the public
needs.”’

The North Vancouver London
Drugs store was chosen, he said,

AN

3 - Wednesday, Mareh 2X, 1987 - North Shore News

re sel

NEWS pheto Mike Wakelletd

LONDON DRUGS store manager Ken Schultz displays some of the new products available from the chain’s
North Vancouver branch. On Monday, Andres Wines of Port Moody opened its Winery Agency Store in the
2032 Lonsdale Avenue locale and the North Vancouver London Drugs store became the first drugstore in B.C.

to sell wine, wine coolers and cider.

because it was one of the chain’s
biggest and ‘it’s an excellent store,
well managed and with a good
staff.”

He added that his company cur-
rently has no permission to keep
the wine store open beyond July.

The LDB, according to Choate,
“has received no reaction at all’’
to the new wine shop.

Schultz said customer comment
cards will be available tu help the
store moniter reaction to the new
service,

The drugstore’s wine shop will
be open the same hours as the drug-
Store: seven days per week from 9
ain. to 10 p.m. Monday through
Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 8

THERE WAS plenty of
cake for everyone at the
official presentation of
the District of West Van-
couver coat of arms Sun-
day at West Vancouver
Secondary School.
Above, Mrs. Rogers, the
wife of Lt-Gov. Bob
Rogers, and Mrs. Lan-
skail, the wife of West
Vancouver Mayor Don
Lanskail, were on hand
for the ceremony. Left,
Dr. Conrad Swan, York
Herald of Arms, and
Mayor Lanskai! display a
banner bearing the new
coat of arms. For more
details turn to Wednesday
World on page 6.

NEWS photos Tom Burley

p.m. Sunday.

Chilled as well as room
temperature wines, wine coolers
and cider will be sold.

Schultz, said of his store’s new
service: ‘I think it’s good for the
store and it’s good for the whole |
population. We’re catching up to
the 20th century.”

Weather:

Wednesday and
Thursday, mostly cloudy
with a few showers.
Highs near 10° C.

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