Last week, we promised to release our fine + rare inventory to our newsletter subscribers. We were looking forward to some spring cleaning in advance of Wild Child’s move into a permanent retail space, and many of you were excited to dig through the goods like vinyl heads at Atomic Records.
And then! The government did its government thing and let the Covid-era provision that allowed restaurants and bars to sell wine to go lapse. They were slated to vote on 4/1 (the legislation lasped on 3/31), but they… just didn’t.
Why don’t lawmakers want you to pick up a bottle of a wine from the same place you may have discovered it as an offering by the glass? Mostly, it has to do with the package store lobby—their argument here is that the Covid-era legislation cuts into their business, and their lobby is extremely powerful on the hill.
Does it really matter? Sort of! Even though we’re opening our own retail space, we’re acutely aware of the ways in which independent bars and restaurants have yet to recover from Covid—many neighborhood spots in the area have closed in the past six months, and many more will close before the end of 2024. Under the weight of debt incurred during shutdowns, marked decreases in income due to population shifts, and the increased cost of product (helloooo inflation), a little extra cash from to-go alcohol sales has been a balm for many struggling businesses. The legislation in question also allowed businesses to operate temporary patios—those are in limbo now, too.
What can you do about it? Call your reps! Tell them they need to push the legislation through, and that you support independent restaurants. Tell them the package store lobby doesn’t have your best interests in mind. Tell them to do their jobs.
In the meantime, we’re now offering our stash of exceptional fine and rare wines by the glass at Rebel Rebel. We’re releasing the full week’s list of daily offerings to paid subscribers in our Sunday Spot newsletter, but everyone can enjoy them at the bar. Pop by, say hello, and try something truly special. We’re happy to share it, one way or another.