Schnucks Applies for Liquor-by-the-Drink License in Ladue

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Shoppers at Schnucks stores in Ladue soon may be able to decide what wine goes with browsing the cereal aisle. They may sip a beer while selecting bratwurst.

Schnucks has applied for a special use permit to sell liquor by the drink at its two stores in Ladue. The Ladue Zoning and Planning Board will review the application during its Aug. 24 meeting.

Paul Simon, a spokesman for Schnucks, said selling wine or beer by the drink is a growing trend in area grocery stores.

“It’s something we have in a handful of our stores now,” Simon said. “We offer it in stores where we believe our customers would appreciate it and this would be an option they’d enjoy while they’re shopping.”

Schnucks stores in Des Peres, Wildwood, the downtown Culinaria, and two stores in Ballwin also offer wine or beer by the drink.

Some St. Louis area Dierbergs stores, including the Des Peres store, also serve beer and wine by the drink.

Simon said the option has been well received by Schnucks customers at those stores, and they’d like to open it up to shoppers in other stores.

“It’s usually in the prepared food area where it’s for sale,” Simon said. “People usually drink it along with food they’ve purchased. But if they wish, they can drink as they're shopping."

Simon said the liquor license presents possibilities for cheese and wine programs, selling craft beers and other opportunities.

“We certainly want our stores to be destinations,” Simon said. “We want it to be a supermarket experience. We want grocery shopping to be an enjoyable experience for our customers.”

So far, the city of Ladue hasn’t raised any objections to the special use permit.

Mike Wooldridge, assistant to the mayor for the city of Ladue, said the city still is evaluating Schnucks’ application for the special use permit.

“On the surface, I don’t see any reason it would receive a negative recommendation,” Wooldridge said.

However, Wooldridge said that doesn’t necessarily mean the city’s Zoning and Planning Board would recommend approving Schnucks’ application.

“At this point, I don’t see an issue that would warrant a staff recommendation against it,” Wooldridge said. “But I don’t want to predispose what the board will decide.”

The Zoning and Planning Board will make a recommendation to the city council, which then will approve or deny the application.