London convenience store owners mark first week of alcohol sales under new provincial rules

Interest has been milder than expected for the beer and coolers lining a fridge of Mike Ayoub's convenience store, but the longtime London shop owner says he anticipates sales will only pick up as word of mouth spreads.

"People are very excited. I don't know why," said Ayoub, himself a non-drinker.

"I was very skeptical before, and still, I'm not very enthusiastic about it. But as a downtown business, I think I have to carry it because it will eventually bring more business — but I hope it won't bring more trouble."

Ayoub's store, Fresh & Fast Food Mart, is one of more than 140 London convenience stores that can now sell beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink cocktails since Sept. 5 as part of the province's alcohol sale expansion plans.

The Ford government fast-tracked its plans by more than a year, allowing upwards of 4,000 stores across Ontario to sell alcoholic beverages alongside tobacco, lottery tickets, candy, gum and other convenience store mainstays.

To do so, the province had to fork over more than $200 million to The Beer Store to break a 10-year agreement that was due to end in 2026.

Located on Richmond Row, Ayoub says he hopes it will mean more business. Concerns over crime, homelessness and drug use in the downtown have made a dent in foot traffic, he said.

"I'm trying to tell people... it's not that bad as they think," he said.

Terry Yaldo, chair of the Ontario Convenience Store Association, described alcohol as a lifeline for convenience stores who have lost revenue to the cost-of-living crisis, and tax-free contraband tobacco.

Yaldo operates Midway Convenience in Windsor, and said he hadn't personally seen issues from the late night sales allowed under the rules, which limit alcohol retail from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., a wider window than LCBO and Beer Stores.

More than 400 corner stores in Ontario small towns have sold alcohol for years through an LCBO program. With so many new stores, Yaldo said product shortages and delivery delays were a concern for members.

"With 4,200-plus stores that have signed up, there's going to be a backlog... there's going to be that learning curve," he said.

"Considering what they had to do to get this rolling, they've done an amazing job, the people at LCBO and some of these third-party distributors, and even our local craft breweries and wineries."

A portion of product has to come from small producers – 20 per cent for beer, ciders, and ready-to-drink cocktails, and 10 per cent for wines.