You can't buy alcohol in Pennsylvania grocery stores.

At work today, someone wrote a story about how one of the big grocery stores in town is opening a 'beer cafe.' I was reading the Facebook comments on this story, not really understanding what a beer cafe is or why it was significant, and someone said something about how they wish they could just go into a convenience store and pick up a case of beer.

My first thought was, what kind of convenience store doesn't sell alcohol?!

Well, apparently Pennsylvania is one of 18 states that is a alcoholic beverage control state. That means the state government owns and sells all alcohol throughout the whole state out of a store called Wine and Spirits. Where I am, the hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (except Sundays), so there is no waltzing into Walmart at midnight when you need some beer.

According to Wikipedia, this crazy law stems from the repeal of prohibition all the way back in 1933. Some states continued their own prohibition, other states created the government monopolies where the state controls all sales, and the sane states started the private license system where you can buy your groceries and alcohol in the same place.

I went into one of these Wine and Spirit stores, and since alcohol is the only thing it sells, it contained a very wide selection of all sorts of drinks. The prices looked normal to me, too. I just find it very annoying (and weird and backwards) that I can't just buy a bottle of wine while I'm at the grocery store.

And I miss my favorite $6.99 bottle of cheap, delicious Missouri wine.