Newmarket convenience store owner Ruchid Savadaya said it is difficult to run a business like his right now.
The owner of Yours Convenience on Yonge Street said the profit margins are fairly small on pretty much any product he sells.
It is why he is one of many store owners who want to try a new venture offered to them by the province: alcohol sales.
“Alcohol brings in a lot of foot traffic, actually. There’s not much money in the convenience business right now,” he said, adding that alcohol sales “would be good for local owners, and will probably be better if there is more competition in the market.”
In Newmarket, 23 convenience stores have had alcohol licences approved in the last month, according to the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario website. The stores will be able to sell alcoholic beverages starting Sept. 5.
But as LCBO workers go on strike, the move has sparked further debate. The LCBO’s union, OPSEU, had said that it would make more sense to expand LCBO retail outlets and their hours rather than put alcohol into more stores. The union argues that those dollars end up in public coffers.
“Not only will our jobs be at stake, but so will our public services,” OPSEU said regarding expanding alcohol sales to the private sector.
However, Savadaya said other provinces provide consumers the convenience of expanded alcohol sales.
“It’s good for the customers. Like, if you want to get alcohol after 8 p.m. or 9 p.m., then you can easily get it,” he said. “More stores means more competition, less of corporate stuff, less of headaches for customers.”
For him, he said margins are small for any government product, and that would include alcohol. But he said the traffic would hopefully drive business.
“You got to pay utilities, expenses, so much, right, so there’s not much money,” he said. “But alcohol will help, hopefully. We’ll have to see how the government will handle it.”
Here are the 23 convenience stores in Newmarket confirmed to have an alcohol licence listed on the AGCO website to start selling in September.
- Mac’s Convenience, 16925 Yonge St.
- Towncentre News and Convenience, 1111 Davis Dr.
- Petro-Canada, 17111 Yonge St., 1195 Davis Dr.,
- Srisai Enterprises Inc., 540 Mulock Dr.
- 1256954 ONTARIO INC, 477 Travis Dr.
- Esso/Circle K, 1175 Mulock Dr., 114 Davis Dr., 17145 Yonge St.
- Esso, 187844 Leslie St.
- Mulock Happy Mart, 17080 Bathurst St.
- Newmarket Smoke Shop, 16635 Yonge St.
- Circle K, 17725 Yonge St.
- Variety Mart and Gift, 725 Davis Dr.
- Pik Kwik Convenience, 1-350 Davis Dr.
- Yours Convenience, 16715 Yonge St.
- Davis Grocery, 1065 Davis Dr.
- Shell, 182333 Leslie St., 16634 Yonge St.
- My Stop Convenience, 16333 Leslie St.
- 10401439 Canada Ltd., 1100 Davis Dr.
- Convenience 4 U, 17074 Leslie St.
