As the sun set on Runnymede Road this past Thursday, a small group of regulars gathered at their neighborhood Beer Store, exchanging knowing glances and quiet conversations. They weren’t just there for their usual weekend purchases—they were saying goodbye to a community fixture that will soon lock its doors permanently.
The Beer Store announced this week it’s shuttering 11 more locations across Ontario, adding to the steady drumbeat of closures that has seen dozens of outlets disappear since 2023. Toronto will lose two more stores in this round of cuts—bringing unwelcome news to communities where these retail spaces have been more than just places to grab a two-four.
“It’s where I’ve been coming every Friday for nearly 20 years,” says Martin Kowalski, 64, a retired factory worker who lives within walking distance of the soon-to-close Runnymede location. “Know all the staff by name. Where am I supposed to go now? The LCBO doesn’t take my empties the same way.”
The closures represent another chapter in Ontario’s evolving retail alcohol landscape, which Premier Doug Ford has been reshaping since taking office in 2018. His government’s push to expand beer and wine sales to convenience stores and grocery outlets has coincided with the Beer Store’s contracting footprint.
According to Beer Store spokesperson Bill Walker, the decision stems from “changing consumer habits and operational costs that have made certain locations unsustainable.” The foreign-owned retailer—primarily controlled by Molson Coors and Labatt—has been adapting its strategy amid increased competition and shifting provincial regulations.
The Financial Accountability Office of Ontario noted in their latest report that Beer Store sales have declined approximately 18% since 2018, with pandemic-era changes in drinking habits accelerating existing trends. Walk-in retail volume never fully recovered after lockdowns pushed consumers toward delivery options and alternative retailers.
For communities losing their local outlet, the impact goes beyond convenience. These stores often serve as collection points for Ontario’s bottle return program, with the Beer Store handling roughly 1.6 billion returned containers annually, according to their environmental reports.
City Councillor Gord Perks, whose ward includes one of the closing Toronto locations, voiced concerns about both jobs and environmental impacts. “Every time we lose a Beer Store, we’re losing union jobs with benefits and making it harder for people to participate in our recycling programs,” he told me during a phone interview yesterday.
The closures also highlight ongoing tensions between the provincial government and the retail chain. The Ford government’s 2018 pledge to bring beer to corner stores set up a confrontation with the Beer Store, which operates under a framework agreement signed during Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government. That agreement, which runs until 2025, gave the retailer certain exclusive distribution rights.
Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy has maintained the government’s position that “Ontario consumers deserve more choice and convenience,” when asked about the closures during an unrelated press conference at Queen’s Park. His office declined to provide additional comment for this story.
Industry analyst David Soberman from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management points to broader shifts in the retail landscape. “The Beer Store is facing the same pressures as many legacy retailers—changing consumer preferences, online competition, and a business model that was designed for a different era,” he explained.
For the approximately 7,000 workers across the Beer Store network, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers union, each closure announcement brings fresh anxiety. Union representative Craig McDowell confirmed that while some employees will be offered positions at other locations, the overall contraction means job losses are inevitable.
