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Liquor Control Board Extends Hours At Some Stores

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- More wine and spirits stores are getting expanded hours, the Pennsylvania State Liquor Control Board announced Monday morning, and that includes some in this region.

"We had two challenges and one was to try to look at that we had at least one store in each county opened until 10 if the population and the store could warrant that," Dale Horst, director of retail operations for the LCB told KDKA money editor Jon Delano.

"And then the other one was to expand early week hours," he added.

That means more stores will open at 9 a.m. and stay open until 10 p.m.

"I think it's wonderful because when you work you don't always get there at those hours. I think it's great," said Maria Magnifico of Wexford.

While Sunday hours are controlled by the state legislature, Horst says the goal is delivering what consumers want.

"We continue to look at the population of Pennsylvania and the placement of stores and try to find where we can best serve our customers," Horst said.

The new wine and spirits store at the Village at Pine in Wexford is typical of the LCB's current consumer-friendly drive, including a wine tasting bar.

Free wine tastings, expanded hours, nice stores like the one in Wexford -- could it be that the Liquor Control Board wants to avoid the sell-off, the privatization, of stores like this?

Of course -- but they won't say that exactly.

"We're always looking to be consumer friendly, regardless of what's going on in the legislature," LCB spokesperson Stacy Kriedeman told Jon Delano.

Maybe -- but whatever they're doing, some like it.

"The state stores seem to be doing a pretty fine job lately. I'm pretty content with the way they are," said Howard Rhodes of Mars.

While others still want to buy beer, wine and spirits elsewhere.

"I think we should get rid of the state stores, and I think it should be in the stores like everywhere else," said Gerry Cody of Bradford Woods.

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