Morton grocery store begins selling alcohol

MORTON — Beer and wine have been on the Morton Kroger’s shelves for about a week, and, so far, the reactions have been favorable.

“I have not had one negative comment from customers about it,” said store manager Debbie Neumann.

Kroger, 1001 W. Jackson St., is the first business in Morton to sell alcohol under the village’s Class H liquor license, which allows the sale of beer and wine in large grocery stores. The Wal-Mart Supercenter at 155 E. Courtland St. also has been awarded a Class H license, but the store has not started selling alcohol yet.

The Morton Village Board amended the village’s liquor ordinance to include the Class H license in August and approved the final regulations for the sale of beer and wine in December. Although the decision was met with protest from some residents, there was no sign of any dissent at Kroger on Wednesday afternoon.

“I thought it was a long time coming,” said customer Laverta Cottrell of Morton. “I think it’s a good change.”
 
Neumann, who has managed the store for two and a half years, said she used to receive questions about alcohol sales at least once a week. After the new license was approved, shoppers would ask how soon beer and wine would be available, she said.

“The customers have been asking for it for a very long time,” she said.

Morton Village President Norman Durflinger said the idea behind the Class H license was to allow Morton shoppers to buy beer and wine with their groceries.
 
The availability of alcohol makes shopping more convenient, said Kroger customer Bob Wakid of Goodfield, and he didn’t think it was fair to limit beer and wine sales to liquor stores.

Before the alcohol went on sale at Kroger, Durflinger, who also serves as the village’s liquor commissioner, visited the store to make sure it complied with all of the license’s regulations.

“It exceeded our expectations,” he said. “They did a great job."

Beer and wine must be contained in one aisle, Neumann said, and that aisle is closed off with gates during the hours that alcohol can’t be sold. She said it took three days to rearrange the store to accommodate its new beer and wine section.

“They have very strict guidelines here in Morton,” she said. “The strictest that we operate in with 153 stores.”

Kroger is permitted to sell alcohol from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, Neumann said. Customers may not purchase alcohol through the store’s self-checkout system, she said, and all cashiers had to undergo special training regarding alcohol sales.
 
Neumann said the addition of beer and wine to the store’s inventory will be beneficial to both Kroger and the people who shop there.

“I’m sure it’s going to be an added boost in sales,” she said, “and it will also satisfy customer needs. That’s what it’s all about.”