"package store"

[Douglas G. Wilson]

>... I don't think we have decided that some
>people only call it a 'package store', but ....
>
>I don't think the wine/liquor argument about compositionality holds
>up unless you try to call a store that only sells wine a 'liquor
>store', since (a) there is a sense of 'liquor' that includes wine,
>and (b) just because a liquor store sells things that aren't liquor
>doesn't mean it's not a liquor store.  (They're not disqualified for
>selling mixers and peanuts.)  Our compositional 'formula' for 'X
>store' constructions seems to be 'store that exists to sell X'.  (And
>so clothing stores can sell wallets and umbrellas and grocery stores
>can sell cigarettes.  I suppose to some people, cigarettes are
>groceries.)
>
>I don't think a store that only sold wine could be called a 'liquor
>store'--since it's not prototypical 'liquor'.  So you have wine
>stores and (esp in Canada) beer stores as well. ....

I agree with this definition of [generic] "liquor store" or "X store".
Without knowing anything about, say, Rangoon or Little Rock, I think I
understand generally what a "liquor store" or  "grocery store" or "hardware
store" would be in either place.

"Package store"? I presume it's a contraction of something like "package
liquor store". I understand this concept and I've lived in places where the
usage is common, but I wouldn't know precisely what this would mean in
Little Rock -- I think it depends on local ordinances and also local
word-choices.

"State store"? I wouldn't have any trouble believing that in Rangoon one
might go to a "state store" to buy rice or socks. I presume that if there
is a "state store" in Little Rock it is probably more or less a liquor store.

There are other [multi-?]regional expressions such as "ABC store" ("ABC" =
"Alcoholic Beverage Commission"?) = "liquor store" IIRC.

A curiosum: in PA (unique in this respect among the US states?) you cannot
generally get -- say -- your wine, beer, and macaroni in less than three
stops. For the macaroni, one would go to a grocery store (which sells no
alcoholic beverage). For the wine, one would go to a 'state' liquor store
(which sells liquor, wine, and I think usually mixers, etc., but no beer).
For the beer, one would go to a beer store (which sells beer, ale, stout,
'wine coolers' [diluted wine packaged like beer], etc., and usually soft
drinks [soda/pop], potato chips, etc., but no wine or stronger stuff and
usually no general groceries). Beer (but not hard liquor or wine) is also
available on 'package' or 'carryout' basis at bars/restaurants.

-- Doug Wilson