Private Wine and Specialty Stores
The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation announced today, Nov. 21, that the board has approved the awarding of four permits for the establishment of private wine and specialty stores. The successful bidders, all located in the Halifax Regional Municipality, are: Cristall and Luckett, Bedford; J.W. Foster Enterprise Ltd., Dartmouth; Southwest Properties Ltd., Halifax; and Vin Art Wine, Halifax County.
In July, the corporation invited applications in response to a request for proposals for the establishment of up to four private wine and specialty stores. Applications would be accepted for stores located in Halifax Regional Municipality, Cape Breton Regional Municipality or Lunenburg or Kings counties. The deadline date was Sept. 17.
Fourteen applications were received; 13 in Halifax Regional Municipality and one from Cape Breton Regional Municipality. No applications were received for Lunenburg or Kings counties. Evaluation criteria included in the request for proposals provided the basis for an objective evaluation by a committee of five people. The four successful bidders scored the highest aggregate scores.
"We believe that the selection of products available to our customers will be increased through this initiative," said Andy Barker, president of NSLC. "A key part of our mission as a corporation is to provide a high level of service to our customers. Broadening the selection of products is an important part of our mandate."
Under the terms of the contract to be entered into with each of the successful applicants, each store will be allowed to stock products listed on the Port of Wines specialty list, as well as any other beverage alcohol products (wine, spirits, beer, coolers) not listed or available through regular NSLC stores. Ninety per cent of the stock in these stores must be beverage alcohol products. The private stores are guaranteed two-year exclusivity on any product they introduce to the Nova Scotia market.
"We thank and congratulate all applicants," said Mr. Barker. "Clearly, a great deal of work was done in preparing these submissions. Our evaluation committee applied the evaluation formula and recommended the top submissions to our board. The board approved the recommendations unanimously. We hope to see the first of the stores open some time over the winter."
While these stores are independent private businesses, their compliance to NSLC and provincial beverage alcohol terms and conditions of sale will be monitored by the corporation.
"We want these stores to succeed," said Mr. Barker. "Their success is our success in broadening the range of products available to our customers."
The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation is a Nova Scotia Crown corporation, with annual revenues of more than $400 million. The corporation, which under legislation has the exclusive responsibility for the sale of beverage alcohol products in Nova Scotia, operates a network of 100 retail outlets with more than 900 employees.