Wegmans Food Markets and Affiliated Liquor Stores Fined

A controversy concerning a supermarket store chain owned by a Rochester-based family and liquor stores also owned by family-members is again surfacing and this time it carries a price.

The New York State Liquor Authority says Wegmans has been fined $750,000 for "Availing their license to five affiliated liquor stores."

The SLA claimed the supermarket chain was managing five liquor stores without the appropriate licensing.

When Johnson City Liquor and Wine was on the slate for development adjacent to the Johnson City food store on Harry L. Drive, several nearby liquor stores claimed the venture was in violation of regulations limiting the number of stores selling spirits that can be owned by an entity.

Wegmans has denied wrongdoing and has maintained the liquor stores are owned by members of the Wegman family but not the Wegmans company.  The Johnson City store, for example, is listed as owned by a son-in-law.

The stores fined by the SLA include two in the Rochester area, the one in Johnson City and one each in the Buffalo and Syracuse areas.  In addition to alleging the food store chain was managing the five stores without proper license, the action says the facilities accepted illegal gifts and services from a liquor wholesaler.