Best of 2012 April – Winning Bids On WA State Liquor Stores Announced

After last November's vote to privatize the state liquor stores, they went up for auction a few months ago. Now, the winners:

Interested business folks ponied up over $30 million for a chance to take over one of the state liquor stores are going out of business. This is separate from the commercial retailers who have applied to sell hard liquor in their establishments.

Prices for the stores ranged from $750,000 in Tacoma, to $49,000 for the outlet in North Spokane. Winning bidders get the right to run the store, but still have to negotiate their own lease. These winning bidders will start with an "empty" store, so to speak.  So up, up, and away, for the new private liquor stores in WA.