OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Costco can’t sell liquor in its cavernous stores in its home state. But that could soon change.
Two ballot measures on the November ballot would largely sweep away Washington’s post-Prohibition restrictions on liquor.
Issaquah-based Costco is heavily backing Initiative 1100, which would abolish the state liquor distribution and sales system in favor of private businesses. Retailers with licenses to sell beer and wine would be eligible to add a liquor license, and would gain the ability to buy directly from manufacturers.
Initiative 1105, a measure backed by liquor distributors, would also privatize the liquor retail system but keep in place state laws that protect distributors.
