Philadelphia Closes All State-Owned Liquor Stores Amidst Crime Spree; 18 Locations Robbed in 1 Night
Shown is the aftermath of a ransacked liquor store in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023. (Photo: Matt Rourke/AP)
Following a string of mass robberies, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has decided to temporarily close every Fine Wine & Good Spirits store in Philadelphia.
On Tuesday night, social media was ablaze with footage of individuals breaking and entering establishments across the city, including an Apple Store, Lululemon, Foot Locker and a reported 18 state-owned liquor stores. Police say that over 50 suspects have been arrested as of Wednesday afternoon.
The unrest followed a day of peaceful protests, organized after a judge ruled to dismiss all charges against a former police officer involved in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Eddie Irizarry on August 14th.
Though no Fine Wine employees were hurt during the night, the city-wide chain is taking an indefinite break to assess damage at its nearly 50 locations.
“Today, all FW&GS (Fine Wine & Good Spirits) stores in Philadelphia and one in Cheltenham Plaza, Wyncote, Montgomery County, are closed in the interest of employee safety and while we assess the damage and loss that occurred,” Shawn Kelly, press secretary for the PLCB, said in a statement to CNN.
“We will reopen stores when it is safe to do so and when the damage is repaired. It is too early to tell how much was damaged or destroyed.”
In the state of Pennsylvania — as well as Idaho, Alabama, Virginia and North Carolina — all liquor stores are owned and operated directly by the local government. As a result, store closures can be closely coordinated with the city’s ongoing efforts to crack down on crime.
Read More:
‘Big Alcohol’-Funded Lobbying Group Pushes for Illegal Cannabis Crackdown
6 Spice-Forward Tequilas for Cozy Fall Sipping in 2023
Breaking Backfield: Bryan Cranston’s Dos Hombres Mezcal Announces Partnership with LA Rams
Follow The Daily Pour:
About The Daily Pour
Founded by Dan Abrams, The Daily Pour is the ultimate drinking guide for the modern consumer, covering spirits, non-alcoholic and hemp beverages. With its unique combination of cross-category coverage and signature rating system that aggregates reviews from trusted critics across the internet, The Daily Pour sets the standard as the leading authority in helping consumers discover, compare and enjoy the best of today's evolving drinks landscape.
