In recent months, the law has been adjusted in Florida to allow for liquor to be sold in grocery stores, alongside beer and wine. If you don’t have it yet, now’s the time to get a liquor license for grocery stores. This can be a huge boon for you as a grocery store owner, as now your customers could pick up any alcoholic drinks they desire, all from your store.

The Type Of License You’ll Need

There are lots of different liquor licenses available, so you’ll need to know which one is the right one for you. In fact, there are currently 53 different types of licenses out there! For your purposes as a grocery store owner, you’ll want a 4Cop license.

A 4Cop license is designed for establishments that offer liquor on their premises, as well as beer and wine. They’re usually given to owners of bars and restaurants, where the drinks will be consumed on-site. They’re also given to stores where the drinks will be consumed off-premises. In the past, that would have meant liquor stores, but now you can take advantage of these licenses to get sales.

How To Get A License for Grocery Stores

Now you know which license you need, you’ll need to go about applying for one. What you need to know, first of all, is that there are only a limited amount of licenses available every year for the state of Florida. As this is the case, Florida holds a yearly lottery drawing, to give out licenses fairly. To enter this drawing, you’ll need to pay a $100 fee. If your name is drawn, you’ll need to pay the license fee and complete the correct form in order to obtain your license.

What You’ll Need To Apply

Firstly, you’ll need the $100 to enter the Florida 4Cop license drawing. You’ll also need to gather all the correct information in order to apply for the license if you’re successful. This includes the social security numbers of anyone who’ll be on the license, a sketch of your business, and information about shareholders that you may have.

You’ll need to get health and safety approval for your business if you’re not serving food on-site, so this is something you should look into before you send off for that license. You’ll also need to get zoning approval, which will depend on the zoning of the area your grocery store is located in.

Finally, you’ll need to be fingerprinted before you enter the drawing for a license. In Florida, you’ll need to contact Pearson Vue in order to have this done.

Benefits Of Obtaining A License for Grocery Stores In Florida

So, why go through the time and effort to obtain a liquor license? It can actually benefit your store in a variety of different ways, including:

• Increase your profits: This is the biggest and best reason why many grocery store owners are looking into liquor licenses. If shoppers don’t have to leave your store to get their liquor, then you’ll see an increase in profits. If you’re operating on a low-profit margin right now, this is why they’re worth looking into.

• Customers appreciate the ease of purchasing: It’s much easier to pick up your liquor along with your beer and wine all in the same place. You can even pick it up with the fixings you’re buying for dinner that night! For customers, this makes shopping a whole lot easier.

• Reduction in crime: There have been studies that say that if there’s less density of liquor stores in an area, then it can help reduce crime. If you’re handling all of the alcohol sales in an area, then you could be part of this movement to stop crime.

• Increase competition: If more stores are selling liquor, this will increase competition across the board. This is good for customers as they know they’re getting the best deal and good for you as you make more customers aware of your brand.

And there you have it. Make your preparations now, and you can get that liquor license for your grocery store before you know it. It takes some time and effort, but it can be worth it in the long run. Contact us today for more information.