Liquor store
A liquor store is a shop that mainly sells alcoholic drinks—spirits, wine, and beer—for customers to take away. The name and rules vary by country. Common terms include off-licence (UK/Ireland), off-sale (Canada/US), bottle shop (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa), bottle store (South Africa), liquor store (Canada/US), and in parts of the US you might hear package store or munis.
Beer shops are a related type that specialize in beer and beer accessories, and some offer tastings, growlers, or craft beers from local or international breweries.
Laws and formats differ a lot around the world. Some places have government-run stores (often called ABC stores in the US) or state monopolies; others allow private shops. In several countries, supermarkets can sell beer and wine, but hard liquor may require a dedicated bottle shop. In the UK and Ireland, the on-site option is called on-license and the take-away option off-license. In India, licensing varies by state; in Japan, alcohol shops are sakaya and places to drink on-site are izakaya.
In the United States, rules vary by state. Some states control liquor through state stores; others allow private retailers. Some places require separate licenses for on-sale (bars) versus off-sale (retail). Alaska, Minnesota, Utah, and other states have their own quirks.
Online alcohol delivery has grown, with services like Drizly (launched in 2012) and Instacart adding alcohol delivery in 2020.
In Canada, most provinces run government liquor boards, while Alberta uses private stores. Terms for off-sale or liquor shopping can differ by region.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 05:44 (CET).