Local convenience stores approved by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario are selling beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages for the first time today.
The Circle K Shell on Westmount Drive opened its new beer fridges this morning at 7 a.m. Co-owner Ruby Thakur says locks on the fridge doors will be open daily until 11 p.m.
"At 10:55 every night we will make a final announcement to let customers know it's their last call if they are buying beer," she said.
Circle K recently underwent a massive renovation in advance of being able to sell alcoholic beverages.
"We got everything new," Thakur said. "It was planned before the beer and wine, so it worked well for us."
Thakur says all of her employees have been trained and have received their Smart Serve certification, which is required to sell alcohol.
"We already I.D. for lottery and tobacco, so it's not that much different," she explained.
While Thakur is hoping the alcohol sales will help her business, she is worried about a potential increase in theft.
"We've needed to install more cameras," she said. "We are worried about how it might be at nighttime especially."
Circle K has been advertising heavily for its new products and Thakur says customers have been asking about it for weeks.
"I think people are excited because we have better hours than the LCBO and they can get everything they might need here."
Travis, who preferred not to provide his last name for this article, was one of the first customers to purchase beer at Circle K this morning.
"I think this is a great change," he said. "I think the old system was kind of archaic."
Travis, who is from Orillia, says people should be able to access alcohol whenever they want.
"You shouldn't be restricted to buying it at certain times at certain places," he said. "I think people should be able to take care of themselves."
Westridge Convenience store owner Kamlesh Shah will also sell alcohol in his store soon, but he's not sure exactly when.
"We are waiting for the coolers as are a lot of other stores," he said. "Once the coolers arrive, we will be able to sell them."
With more than 20 convenience stores in Orillia and area — and more than 4,200 across the province — rushing to carry alcohol products, Shah says there is a supply chain issue causing a delay. Once Shah can get his hands on the products, he expects it to help business.
"It makes us a one-stop-shop," he explained. "Once we get the products, we'll try it out and see how it goes."
If the alcohol sales don't improve business, Shah says he will cut ties with the initiative.
"Food Basics and Walmart already sell alcohol here in west ridge," he explained. "I also heard they are putting an LCBO by Costco, so we'll see how it does."
Shah says his store will undergo some renovations once he's able to sell the products. He says it will be costly and a lot of work.
"All the displays I have will have to be moved," he said. "We'll have to really move things around."
Shah says his staff will also have to obtain their Smart Serve certification and undergo some basic training.
"It's different from the lottery and tobacco," he said. "We have to be very careful."
Shah isn't too worried about an increase in shoplifting, although it's something he's been pondering about.
"We have a really good community here," he said. "People are really friendly, but it is still a question mark for me."
Shah says his customers are "eager" to buy alcohol products in his store and he is asked about it daily.
"That's a good thing," he said. "But we'll see what happens when the time comes."
Judy Whitley, from Coldwater, didn't know about the new change before she went shopping in Orillia today.
"I think it's great," she said. "It's much more convenient and makes it much easier to get to a store."
Whitley says she frequently stops at the Amco convenience store in Warminster, which also has an LCBO inside.
"It's so convenient if you are going by," she said. "I think people will really enjoy this becoming the norm."
Here is a full list of convenience stores who are now permitted to sell alcohol in Orillia:
Hometown Variety Shop, 247 A West St. N.
Orchard Gate Gas Bar, 661 Atherley Rd.
Skylark Express, 459 West. St. N.
Pioneer on the Run, 425 West St. N.
Westridge Convenience Store, 3300 Monarch Dr.
Petro Canada, 610 Atherley Rd.
Circle K, 8023 Highway 12
Orillia Ace Variety, 1031 Mississaga St. W.
Circle K, 317 Atherley Rd.
Esso Convenience Store, 463 West St. N.
Circle K Shell, 3 Westmount Dr. S.
Circle K, 176 Memorial Ave.
J's Variety, 434 Laclie St.
Quick Stop, 9305 Highway 11 N.
County Fair Petro Canada, 281 Coldwater Rd.
