So I went just now to stock up on stuff before they close at 3 pm or whatever they decide to do today. Alas, the liquor store continues to be closed, even though there was someone inside doing something and a large truck outside dropping off product, and there is now a sign on the door that says:

Due to weather conditions we will not be opening on time… and we will be closing early if we do open.

Got that? That’s all the sign says. Jesus fucking Christ.

Another man who walked up to the store at the same time as me muttered, “The only people who can’t make it to the store are the employees? Everyone else can get here.” Don’t blame the employees, I wanted to say. Blame the state.

Christopher Frizzelle was The Stranger's print editor, and first joined the staff in 2003. He was the editor-in-chief from 2007 to 2016, and edited the story by Eli Sanders that won a 2012 Pulitzer...

40 replies on “Would You Like to Know When the Liquor Store Will Open Again? Fuck You for Asking!”

  1. I’m starting to worry about you, Christopher. I’m with you on the lameness of the state stores, but I think you might need to talk to someone about your dire need for liquor and your intense, angry reaction to its unavailability.

  4. Many companies – including many government agencies – are suspending non-essential services because of the weather; I think selling liquor qualifies.

    That being said, if there’s someone in the store then there’s no excuse for them not being open – and this ISN’T about the state, this is about a few lazy employees riding the “snow day” excuse for all it’s worth.

  8. So you want what, Chris Gregoire to order all the liquor store employees to work? Fire the slackers? And then you can run a big article about how the state mistreats liquor store employees.

  11. Why is everyone so anxious to cut Frizzelle? You guys are so angry – maybe you need the booze more than he does. His point about the capriciousness of the operation — and the frustration that attends it — is absolutely valid; just because the product in question is booze doesn’t merit the level of vituperation present here. He IS planning, you bozos…he is going to the store during posted operating hours. Why would he expect it to be closed when the rest of the city is generally functioning?

    Sheesh.

  13. I work for a big company downtown that closed their office today, even though it will cost them a lot of money.

    Seriously, what is wrong with you dude?

  14. It’s like there’s an imaginary person out there who is saying “Yes, the state liquor stores are awesome. I love the service, the selection is outstanding, and the hours are perfect, if not a bit too expansive,” and Frizzelle is trying to cram that imaginary person’s words right back down his throat.

  15. I read once that the most personal and check-in way to know if you have a problem is if, during a perfectly good enough time (it’s perfectly beautiful out!), you can’t stop thinking of what a BETTER time you could be having if you had _____(insert drug here)

    I think in the treatment world they call that not being able to have fun without ______

    Something to think about, and it’s not directed at Christopher but anybody else who might wonder, since addiction is clearly coming up in these threads.

  20. I’m with JTC on this one. All you haters are being ‘holes. It is absolutely reasonable to want liquor on a cold ass day and reasonable to be pissed that stores are closed during business hours with employees visible inside. Y’all should step back on the judgements and check yourselves.

  22. Guys, guys, the subject tag on the post is WAR. I’m just having fun. Still, it’s annoying that the system is retrograde and inefficient and that everyone always defends it as if there just isn’t a better way. There’s a better way.

  24. @22 hmmm… well, you guys have developed a tendency to solemnly march to war ready or not on this pretext or that, so though I’m sad you’ve come to need it, it might be wise from here on to more explicitly signal I AM KIDDING NO REALLY DON’T BE MEAN YOU GUYS.

  26. I’m gonna side with Christopher on this one. If what we are told by republicans and their love for a true capitalistic society, then these state ran liquor stores would be closed due to their incompetence.

  29. Anyone know if the liquor store on 23rd and Union is open? No voicemail, no one answers the phone but that happens on a sunny Saturday at noon.

  30. Bunch of fucking whiners.

    We used to have to drive for 3 hours in the snow and ice through the mountains to buy liquor, and it was open fewer hours.

  31. So the liquor store on Broadway and Harrison is open. Is that a little bit too far for you to walk and get your fill?

    If there’s just one employee at the store, and they’re busy receiving product from the delivery guy, then it’s perfectly reasonable to remain closed.

    When I called last night, a woman employee said that they all lived faraway and wanted to get home at a reasonable hour. Given that I5 was hell well into the night, I think that was fair.

  32. @14,

    Unfortunately, people like that aren’t imaginary. In my experience, they have no basis for comparison (because they’ve never lived anywhere else since turning 21) and/or have an ulterior motive for sticking their heads in the sand.

  33. @19 – I hope god does help Frizzelle when the big one hits. I hope he helps us all.

    My experience with commerce today was that 100% of the places I went were open: QFC, dry cleaner, Whole Foods, pastry shop, video shop, Zoka, gym and Bartell’s. I understand you may have had a different experience but for me, there’s nothing to suggest that today posed insurmountable problems to the operation of business.

  35. isn’t the point here that for the state to justify completely controlling the sale of liquor, something it doesn’t have to do (other states don’t), then it needs to be able to actually fucking do the job?

  36. That is just wickedly Soviet. Washington is not competent enough to bee trusted with the public’s god damned booze supply!

  37. Union store closed (with misleading sign) walked to Broadway. MOTHERFUCKING LINE. And they were out of peppermint schnapps. IT IS LIKE RUSSIA IN THE 80s. (i am exaggerating).

  38. This calls for a looting. I mean, all the possibly-stranded people in the neighborhood who need to unwind and pass the time dealing with this weather?!

  39. @23 has it right, clearly the state is doing a horrible job of employing sober people to work in a liquor store, nothing bad will come of a staff full of…oh wait.

  40. Chris I would like to have a face to face debate over state liquor stores. I think you are a Californian living in Washington. I believe in Human Safety over consumption. If they are receiving a shipment there is nobody to watch the lobby. Wait an hour or two and then they will be open to the public.

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