LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — The beer stores will soon look a little different. Lakeway Beverage near Dallas will soon be making space on its shelves for canned cocktails.
"The market's flooded; everybody sells what I sell," Josh Kaschenbach, Lakeway Beverage.
These canned cocktails are pre-mixed spirits, with popular brands like 'high noon' and 'Surfside'. Previously, Pennsylvania law restricted these big names to only be sold at state-run fine wine and spirit stores. Kaschenbach has been pushing to change that for quite some time.
"I sell a 19.2 oz can that is 15%, and I can't sell you a white claw that 4%. It hardly makes any sense," he added.
Now a new law allows beer distributors, like Lakeway, grocery stores and convenience stores can apply for a permit through the state to have these ready-to-go cocktails right in the coolers. They say it's a long time coming.
"I would say no less than a dozen times a day do, I have a college student coming into my store looking for a surfside. I don't even know what a surfside is, but I can't wait to start selling it," he added.
This family-owned store says it's a big win for small businesses. While Lakeway doesn't have their permit just yet, they're looking forward to stocking their shelves as soon as possible.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity that the state allowing us to have. I can't wait to see how many new customers come into our store because of what they're allowing us to take on," said Kaschenbach.