Liquor Landscape In NJ Changing?

The liquor landscape may soon be changing in New Jersey. Fox 29's Sean Tobin spoke with some mom and pop shops that say it would be detrimental to business.

"We think it's a disaster that will cost this state--hundreds of thousands of jobs--" says Johnny Canal.

Johnny Canal's family has run this Canal's liquor store in Pennsauken, NJ for nearly five decades.
He says the system the state has in place currently is working for them, well. Canal says the current state law allows for healthy competition among him and other liquor store owners.

He says, "You can only have two licenses in your name, or in your company name." But, there is a movement in Trenton to increase that two license limit.

Canal explains, "The reason they want to change that is for the grocery stores."

Grocery store chains---like Wegman's and others are interested in getting in on the alcohol business. Canal says they'd be un-doing what the government did years ago.

"In the 30's or 40's the state put these license limitations into effect for a reason--because someone was trying to monopolize, and it was a grocery store chain," he says.

Canal's assessment of why this proposed change is gaining traction in Trenton is simple, "Mayors around the state are broke and they're looking to get some short term revenue for this years budget."

Canal thinks that removing the two license limit would completely change the liquor landscape in it's current form, and, not in a positive way.

"If they go through with this bill, we're going to see Target and Wal-Mart being the only ones selling liquor in this state," he predicts.