Wine stores shutting down

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

The 'For Lease' sign has gone up at Discover Wines in Kelowna.

The way has been paved for B.C. wines to be sold in grocery stores in Kelowna after two specialty stores sold the rights to their licences.

Discover Wines in Orchard Plaza and the BC Wine Museum & VQA Wine Shop in the Laurel Packinghouse have both agreed to relinquish their licences.

Both outlets will remain open into the new year. The licences are expected to transfer to the Overwaitea Food Group in January.

"We have chosen to transfer our VQA licence to the Overwaitea Food Group," said Discover Wines owner Tracy Gray.

"Specifically them, not only because they are local, but they also understand the importance of supporting B.C. growers and producers."

She has also transferred the licence from her Kamloops Discover Wines store.

Gray said the wine industry in B.C. is evolving.

Through the BC Wine Institute, Gray said policies and contracts are being amended to support the government's recommendations of selling wine in grocery stores.

According to Gray, at least one licence will remain in Kelowna.

"Whether there are two will be up to them (Overwaitea Food Group). They haven't disclosed at this point where it will be moved to."

At the present time B.C. wines can be purchased in three grocery stores in the province, all Save-On-Foods locations in the Lower Mainland. Two of those opened up in the past two weeks.

"Any of the licences that have moved into grocery so far, the volumes are extremely strong. You can't really dispute the sales that have been happening in those grocery licences. There's three so far and another one that's going to be opening very soon," said Gray.

"What I have been told is the wineries want to have some good volume. They want some different distribution channels. This is why they are evolving."

These licences were first put into small communities and tourist destinations which is why she said Kelowna got one of the first licences.

"When we opened in 2003 it evolved into more higher volume, destination shopping locations," Gray said. "Now, the wine industry is evolving into another phase."

Meantime, Kelowna Museums executive director Linda Digby said the wine museum and VQA shop were innovative models of community engagement that attracted visitors to a heritage building, exposed them to historical displays and ignited greater interest in BC Wines.

"They have been an asset to Kelowna's Cultural District for 19 years. Now, Kelowna Museums Society is re-focussing on its core mission with plans to develop the Laurel Packinghouse and the Wine and Orchard Museums into a compelling heritage destination," said Digby.

"Kelowna Museums Society looks forward to forging new relationships with the Wine Industry as we renew our focus on wine museum displays and programs." 

The availability of wine in grocery stores was one of several changes the province made to B.C. liquor laws earlier this year.

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

BC Wine Museum and VQA store