>> For the record, Carl the lifelong Kansas resident was also boggled by
>> hard liquor in the grocery store.  Come to that, having lived here for
>> several years by that time, *I* had a moment of "Whoa.  Haven't seen
>> THAT in a long time.  Dang, that looks weird."
>>
>
> Ever go to New Hampshire?  The state sells booze (I hear that's why
> there's no sales tax) and at least one rest stop on the Interstate is a
> warehouse sized liquor store, and I mean the-Sam's-Club-of-liquor-stores
> huge. Something just seems odd to me about, "Hey, I'm tired of driving -
> let's get out and stretch our legs...  While we're here, let's get some
> Jack Daniels!"

There's more than one of the mega-liquor stores on the NH Interstates
(can't call them freeways because the ones with the big liquor stores are
all toll roads).  All but one of the are situated near the state line(s)
and are there to target out-of-state business (every town in NH also has
at least one state-run liquor store, as the state is the only
establishment that is allowed to sell hard liquor retail).  And it does
work, liquor stores in Massachusetts and Maine (I'm not sure about
Vermont) all complain about the "unfair competition" that NH gives them.

The basic idea of these stores is "Come to NH, buy cheap booze and get
out.  Quickly.  Before before the troopers decide to pull you over for
even more of your out-of-state money."

-- 
Michael Feldhusen
mike_f@io.com
caulay@gmail.com