Durango Police Department’s efforts to stop the sale of mini bottles of alcohol were short-lived – The Durango Herald

Liquor store owner says loss of shooter bottle sales was too big a blow

A Durango Police Department campaign to stop liquor stores from selling miniature bottles of alcohol appears to have been abandoned.

In the spring of 2023, Durango police attempted to work with liquor store owners to stop the sale of mini-bottles of alcohol, commonly referred to as “shooter-sized,” with the goal of to reduce waste and public intoxication. and driving while intoxicated.

The 100-milliliter bottles are often seen littered along the Animas River Trail and other bike paths around town.

A general lack of buy-in from liquor store owners appears to have stopped the initiative before it even began. Star Liquors was the only store to stop selling the shots in March 2023.

“We tried a year ago, but I don’t know if we succeeded,” said DPD Cmdr. Nick Stasi.

Last year, Star Liquors estimated that ditching mini-bottle liquor would cost about $76,000 a year in sales, but general manager Mike Vermette said it was an opportunity to help the community.

Vermette was not available for follow-up comment Monday.

Wagon Wheel owner James Dempsey said The Durango Herald in March 2023, that the loss of the mini-bottles would be a “significant financial blow”.

In a year when grocery stores were able to start selling wine, it was imperative for Dempsey to continue selling mini bottles of liquor, he said last week.

“I am convinced that it is the same, if not more, than the previous year,” he said. “If we hadn’t continued to sell them with the wine sold in grocery stores, we would have completely gone bankrupt. We lost $300,000 in 2023 from selling wine in grocery stores,” Dempsey said.

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