Wine-making, homebrew stores permitted to open for pickup and home delivery

People who run wine-making and homebrew stores on P.E.I. are now being allowed to bottle product for customers for pickup or home delivery.

Several ferment-on-premise businesses had been lobbying for permission since the stores closed because of COVID-19 measures.

The change was recently approved by the provincial cabinet and came into effect Saturday.

"It was a relief, but very stressful for everybody because we were five, six weeks behind in bottling customers' wine and the onus is on us to make safety rules and social distance for our staff," said Darren Holt, owner of Wine Kitz in Charlottetown.

Prearranged pickups

Pickup times are prearranged, he said. Because of safety concerns, customers are being asked to buy new bottles at a discounted rate instead of bringing in their old bottles.

The P.E.I. Liquor Control Commission said the temporary change in legislation will help alleviate the high traffic at liquor stores.

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