Three Beer Store locations in Wiarton and Windsor will be closing their doors permanently this summer.
The Beer Store announced Tuesday it will be shutting down 11 more stores across Ontario as of July 6 including the outlets at 690 Berford St. in Wiarton, and 790 Goyeau St. and 1780 College Ave. in Windsor. The other locations on the chopping block are in Aurora, Coboconk, Cornwall, and the GTA.
“The Beer Store is modernizing operations to meet the needs of marketplace – this means making the difficult decision to close some stores. We know this will be disappointing to many customers and our valued employees,” Vice President of Retail Ozzie Ahmed said in a statement. “We don’t make this decision lightly; it is part of our ongoing commitment to business sustainability and serving the needs of our customers.”
The latest round of closures comes after the retailer cut five locations in March and four in April as it works to pivot from the provincial government's decision to expand alcohol sales to corner stores - a move that has created fierce competition to attract consumers.
The Beer Store did not state how many employees will be out of work as a result of the closures or whether some could be transferred to other nearby locations. What it did promise, is to support employees through the transition and make every effort to see them through the process in "alignment with commitments and agreements."
Anyone with empty beer, wine and spirits bottles, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, tetra packs, and kegs can still return them to their nearest Beer Store location or an empty return dealer, The Beer Store reminded. It added that as of January 1, 2026, all grocery stores that sell alcohol will also be required to return empties.