The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board must allow distributors to send special wine and liquor orders directly to retailers instead of sending them to state stores for pickup, a court ruled Friday.
The PLCB can’t ignore a 2016 state law that permits the direct shipping of wines and spirits not sold in state-run stores, the Commonwealth Court ruling said. Retailers and restaurants have instead had to retrieve their orders, and pay a handling fee, at state stores that have been closed or operating on a limited basis during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Judge Kevin Brobson ordered the liquor control board to comply in a reasonable timeframe. An agency spokeswoman did not immediately return a call for comment.
MFW Wine Co., a distributor, and the Bloomsday Cafe filed the emergency petition. The special orders represent a small but growing portion of state liquor sales.
