Predictions for 2021
Today, I pay ode to the late John McLaughlin and make predictions for the new year. Enjoy it will be a wild one!
Prediction 1: The Supreme Court makes a move on wine retailer shipping. Lebamoff v. Whitmer, which appeals the 6th Circuit’s ruling allowing Michigan’s discriminatory wine retailer shipping […]
Wine may be fine but beer and spirits may die
The Christmas season often times allows one to reflect on what happened during the past year. Clearly, this year has been difficult and many businesses may not survive.
The liquor space is not immune to the difficulties faced by society in general.
Especially hard […]
The Supreme Court may prefer Wine to Walmart
Many liquor experts try to read the tea leaves and determine how the U.S. Supreme Court denying cert in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. TABC[1] will impact the Court’s action pertaining to the Lebamoff case.
Wal-Mart involves a Commerce Clause challenge to a […]
When alcohol can make you feel good
Alcohol has many effects on the body, we all know that alcohol triggers the release of endorphins which produces feelings of pleasure.
In addition to releasing endorphins and creating pleasure, alcohol can also make the soul feel good. Especially when alcohol is produced to support a […]
Birthday shut downs ruins the day
The Chicagoland area is known for great food and the best restaurants!
Every year for my birthday my wife and I look forward to a nice birthday dinner.
But this year the Governor has closed our restaurants and there is no place to go.
What is more disturbing is […]
How the three-tier system ruined my birthday
My wife wanted to surprise me this year for my birthday, and order me a bottle of Chateau La Fleur, the Vintage would represent my birth year.
Unfortunately, my wife discovered that ordering wine is not as easy as ordering shoes on Amazon.
My wife went […]
Michigan proposes liquor legislation, beware!
The Michigan legislature has proposed several pieces of legislation that will become problematic if passed into law.
The legislative bills if passed, will grease the palms of the Michigan wine and beer wholesalers, and leave the State of Michigan vulnerable to Constitutional challenges.
SB […]
Governor Pritzker announced that restaurants and bars in DuPage, Kane, Kankakee, and Will counties will not be allowed to have indoor seating starting at 12:00 am Friday October 23, 2020. Subject to certain restrictions outdoor seating is still allowed.
But let us look at the real issue here. It is no longer July in […]
The three-tier system fails the competition and choice test
Advocates of the three-tier system, mainly those representing the wholesaler tier, claim that wholesalers bring commercial benefits to society by creating healthy competition and by providing a vast assortment of brands to the marketplace.
According to this theory if not for the wholesalers, there would be […]
Politics and alcohol don’t mix
In this election season we are all inundated with politics and a lot of it. Many of us try to avoid it and turn away from conversations related to politics. But try as we may, there is no getting around it. Politics are part of the culture […]