A contentious issue is once again the talk of the checkout aisle as the next session of the Tennessee House is only days away. Some say this could finally be the year wine is sold in grocery stores. Liquor store owners say allowing large corporations to encroach on their business could put them out on the street, but for many shoppers, being able to buy wine at their local supermarket is all about convenience. They want their voices to be heard in the House Chamber.

"We live outside of town in a fairly rural area and it's hard for us to get to a liquor store and when we do go it's pretty expensive with a small selection, so I think it would probably increase selection and improve the price," says Kroger shopper Stephanie McCarter.

It seems wine is one of the only things on the shopping list you can't buy at the Donelson Kroger on McGavock Pike.

"It continues to be one of the more requested items we have in our stores," says Kroger spokesperson Melissa Eads.

Eads says Kroger and other supermarkets have been trying to get wine on their shelves for several years now. In 2013, they're encouraging the legislators that support their cause to try a new tactic. Opponents are left to wonder how many times the issue has to be raised and defeated for it to go away. Bard Quillman of the Tennessee Wine and Spirits Retailers Association says because Tennessee law prohibits liquor stores from selling anything other than wine, liquor and beer with high alcohol content, letting larger, more versatile companies in on their territory could be devastating to the small business owner. Eads says it's best to let the consumer decide. House Speaker Beth Harwell and Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey have both voiced their support to let wine be sold in grocery stores. The House session is set to start Tuesday.
Some Say This Could Finally be the Year Wine is Sold in Grocery Stores