Why Publix Keeps Its Liquor In Completely Separate Stores

When it comes to alcohol sales, the United States is a pretty quirky place, as laws about where beer, wine, and liquor can be sold differ from one state to the next. Some states allow alcohol sales in grocery stores, while others keep beer, wine, and liquor in completely separate state government-operated stores, often referred to as ABC shops (Alcohol Beverage Control) or package stores. If you're a regular Publix shopper, you probably know this all too well — you can get almost everything you need to stock your refrigerator and pantry at a Publix, but the key word here is "almost." You may be able to buy a glass of wine or beer at Pours, the bar and café inside select Publix locations in Florida to sip on while you shop, but if you're hoping to have your groceries, Pub Subs, and alcohol purchased in the same transaction, you may be disappointed.

While Publix has just shy of 1,500 store locations across Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, just over 350 of those locations are legally allowed to sell hard liquor adjacent to the store itself. It's at these locations where you'll find Publix Liquors right next door, which is where liquor sales can take place. That's because the state may not control liquor sales exclusively, but they don't allow them to take place inside a grocery store. However, in other states where Publix operates and beer, wine, and liquor sales are regulated by the state and local government, you won't find Publix Liquors at all.

Publix operates in eight states, but only two of them allow Publix Liquors to operate adjacent to the grocery store. Why is that? These two states, Florida and Kentucky, have different liquor laws that make it possible for Publix to own and operate its own liquor store in each one. In Florida, Publix shoppers can buy beer and wine in the grocery store itself, but will need to walk into Publix Liquor to pick up spirits like vodka or whiskey. In Kentucky, grocery stores can sell beer, but if they want to sell wine and spirits, it needs to be done in a separate location with a separate entrance — Publix shoppers can buy beer in the grocery store, but will need to go next door to Publix Liquors for wine and spirits. The best way to find your closest Publix Liquors is to use the store locator.

Kentucky alcohol sales go even deeper to the local level, with different counties defined as wet, moist, and dry. As of 2022, of the 120 counties in Kentucky, 10 of them remain dry, meaning alcohol sales are prohibited.

If you're a Publix shopper in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Virginia, you won't have the ability to pop next door to Publix Liquors to buy hard liquor. It's in these states that liquor sales are regulated by the state, so if you need to pick up your favorite American Single Malt or a bottle of tequila to complete your top shelf collection, you'll have to find the closest ABC store.