National, Local And Even State-Owned Wine And Spirits Retailers Are Adding New Stores In Repurposed Drugstores And Big Box Suites
From nationals like Total Wine & More to local, regional and even state-owned operators, wine and spirits retailers are increasingly opening new sites in repurposed drugstores and Big Box suites
Big Box wine and spirits retailer Total Wine & More has opened ~100 new stores over the past 5 years.
Many of these stores—which average 20,000-30,000 square feet—are in “2nd generation” real estate vacated by bankrupt retailers like Toys R Us, Stein Mart and Bed Bath & Beyond.
But Total Wine is not the only wine and spirits retailer backfilling vacant retail real estate.
Regional chains Spec’s and ABC Fine Wine & Spirits are repurposing drugstores in their home states of Texas and Florida, respectively.
And even local chains—like Wine, Beer and Spirits in Nebraska—have opened multiple stores in 2nd generation real estate.
What is behind store growth in the wine and spirits retail industry?
Well some of it has to do with regulation.
Nearly 100 years after the end of national prohibition, 17 states still have regulated monopolies over the sale of alcoholic beverages.
Some of these “liquor control” states—which include Alabama, Idaho, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Utah and Virginia—even maintain agencies to operate state-owned wine and spirits stores.
Just like the private operators, several of these state agencies have also utilized 2nd generation real estate to add sites.
For instance the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board leased a former Rite Aid in State College, PA to repurpose as a state-operated Fine Wine & Good Spirits store.
Other liquor control states do not operate their own stores but instead maintain a monopoly over spirits distribution by selling wholesale to private vendors and/or requiring the licensure of independent operators.
Even “open” states that permit direct distribution of wine and spirits often limit alcohol sales in other ways.
Like in Florida where state law restricts the number of licenses a single store can hold to sell alcohol.
This means that grocery stores in Florida can sell beer and wine within their main stores—but need a separate storefront in order to also sell hard liquor.
That is why Publix, the largest Florida grocery chain, operates over 350 standalone liquor stores in the state, many of which are adjacent to or nearby the chain’s 900+ Florida stores.
Still a significant amount of liquor sales in Florida occur through independent operators.
One such company is ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, a family owned and operated retailer that operates over 125 stores in the Sunshine State.
ABC stores have historically been located in buildings that comprise 5,000 - 8,000 square feet.
But its newer locations are bigger, have more bells and whistles—and, increasingly, are located in repurposed retail real estate.
Like a Winter Garden, FL property that ABC acquired in 2023 for ~$5.5 MM.
Originally a drugstore (and later a fitness center), the ~15,000 square foot building was quickly repurposed by ABC.
It reopened less than a year later as one of the chain’s most innovative stores yet.
The store features a unique "whiskey experience" tasting section where customers can sample bourbon, scotch and whiskey from across the world.
The try-before-you buy experience also extends to wine and spirits with a tasting center and digital displays for cocktail education and inspiration.
The Winter Garden store also features an expansive walk-in cooler and the chain's largest humidor.
ABC Fine Wine & Spirits is not finished with drugstore conversions.
In May 2025 the Company acquired this former CVS drugstore in St. Cloud, FL for ~$4.65 MM.
It is expected to be the site of a future ABC store that will likely open in 2026.
Spec’s, a Texas-based, family owned chain of over 200 liquor stores, has also relied on former drugstore real estate for sites.
Such as this pair of former CVS drugstore properties in El Paso and Corpus Christi that Spec’s repurposed as liquor stores.
From Toys R Us to “Booze R Us”
It isn’t only national and regional chains that have turned to repurposed retail real estate for liquor stores.
In fact a local Nebraska wine and spirits retailer has taken on even larger sites than former drugstores.
Wine, Beer, and Spirits operates five liquor stores in Nebraska—including a pair of Big Box stores in Omaha and Lincoln that are located in former Toys R Us properties.
These Wine, Beer, and Spirits stores not only offer a vast selection of over 10,000 items but also offer an interactive shopping experience:
An open bar greets customers that walk into the 30,000 square foot former toy store buildings.
Customers can enjoy drinks at the bar or while they shop the store.
Wine, Beer, and Spirits also has a partnership with a meat purveyor to offer more than 500 different cuts of locally sourced meets—as well as an extensive collection of spices, rubs and cookware.
But many locals still remember the former Toys R Us stores that had operated at the Omaha and Lincoln sites for decades.
So it is not a surprise that many locals refer to the liquor stores as "Booze R Us.”
The “Biggest” Big Box Liquor Retailer
While regional chains like ABC Fine Wine and Spirits and Specs maintain a sizable presence in their local markets, Total Wine & More is the only national Big Box liquor store retailer.
Despite the significant number of liquor control states and the byzantine state and local laws that govern alcohol sales in much of the country, Total Wine & More operates 284 stores and has carved out a presence in 29 states.
The $6 BB wine and spirits retailer sells an estimated 260 MM bottles of wine and spirits to over 18 MM customers annually.
However laws and regulations prevent Total Wine from offering a standard product assortment and shopping experience across all of its stores.
For instance, some states restrict the types of products that Total Wine can sell.
Others prohibit in-store tastings and demonstrations.
But like its local and regional counterparts, Total Wine & More has also relied extensively on 2nd generation retail real estate to add new stores.
Dozen of its current stores—and those in development—are in repurposed Big Box space vacated by bankrupt retailers like Toys and Babies R Us, Stein Mart and Bed Bath & Beyond.
While Total Wine & More has been growing at a steady clip of about 15 to 20 new stores per year, it hopes to build on its position as the largest U.S. Big Box wine and spirits retailer and ultimately operate sites in all 50 states.
To get there Total Wine will be on the lookout for even more vacant Big Box retail real estate that it can backfill and repurpose.