On Thursday night a historic vote was made at the State Capitol. The House voted to pass the liquor privatization bill.
But some local beer distributors are worried about what could happen to their business if it passes the Senate and is signed into law.
Mary Sutton has thrown her life savings into the Beer Cove in Palmyra, she opened the store two years ago. She's watching house bill 790, or the liquor privatization bill, very closely. She's worried about what comes if the bill is signed by Governor Corbett. "I'm scared to death of what it might cost us. We may lose everything we just ventured for the last two years"
The bill would allow the state to sell its liquor system to private owners, and allow grocery stores to sell wine.
Mary says although she's scared this might put her out of business, she is trying to stay positive. "With the privatization of liquor laws hopefully we'll be able to be a one stop shop, carry the beer , wine and the alcohol all at once."
As for the competition this change will create, Mary says she isn't too worried about it. "I feel with our reputation in town, we've got a great set of locals and our customer service, we carry everything out for you, people work hard enough at their jobs, let us provide you with some kind of ease on convenience of shopping."
If the state's liquor system is privatized, beer distributors would get a first shot at 1,200 wine and spirit licenses. The state's 600 wine stores would be phased out as the number of private operators grow.
In a statement from the brewers of Pennsylvania, their president says in part: "The time is right to make a change."
But they do have concerns that certain provisions of the bill could be harmful to the brewing industry in PA, which invests millions of dollars and employs thousands of people.
