Two midwestern Ontario Beer Stores are among the 11 latest locations to be marked for permanent closure.
The Beer Store announced its latest round of store shutdowns on Monday with outlets at 482 Josephine St. in Wingham and 30 Mill St. in Clinton slated to close at the end of the business day on September 28. Other locations to be closed on that date are in Rodney, Norwich, Bala, Brampton, Morrisburg, Red Lake, Sharbot Lake, South Porcupine, and Wawa.
“The Beer Store is adapting to changes in the retail market in Ontario. This is an ongoing process and includes making the difficult decision to close some retail locations. We know this is difficult for customers, employees and the communities where we operate,” Beer Store Vice President of Retail Ozzie Ahmed said in a statement. “As the Beer Store modernizes, we’ll continue to be the best place for ice-cold beer, friendly customer service and a deposit return system that gets consumers their money back.”
It is unclear how many employees will lose their jobs as a result of the latest round of closures.
"The Beer Store recognizes the contributions our employees make to the business and in the communities where we operate," Ahmed added. "All efforts will be made to support employees through this process in alignment with commitments and agreements.”
Since the start of the year more than 90 Beer Store locations across the province have either been closed or are scheduled to close in the coming months. That includes the location in Wiarton, which shut its doors for good on July 6. The closures come as competition for beer consumers has become fierce due to the provincial government's decision to expand expand alcohol sales to corner stores.
Remaining Beer Store locations will continue to accept empty beer, wine and spirits bottles, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, tetra packs, and kegs from customers. Starting January 1, 2026, all grocery stores that sell alcohol will also be required to accept the return empties and provide customers with a refund of deposits, according to the Beer Store.