Pennsylvania Effectively Institutes Post-Sandy Prohibition With Shutdown Of 600 Liquor Stores

If you live in the state of Pennsylvania and didn’t stock up on enough booze before Superstorm Sandy hit last night, you might need to make a little trip across the border: The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has shut down all of its 600 Wine & Spirits stores today in response to the storm.

Sure, it’s kind of bootlegging, points out the Philadelphia Daily News but privately-operated liquor stores just seconds across the border in Delaware are opening their doors to down-and-out Pennsylvanians in need of some cheering up.

The state’s liquor stores shut down yesterday at 3 p.m. as Sandy barreled toward New Jersey. The LCB controls the sale of all wine and liquor in Pennsylvania, and decided to keep its stores closed Tuesday “to assess the damage from Hurricane Sandy,” according to an agency statement.

While it’s illegal to bring alcohol from out-of-state into Pennsylvania, it’s not uncommon for residents to forage for deals and a better selection in other states. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do, right?

Hurricane Sandy leads to Pa. booze prohibition [Philadelphia Daily News]

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