Utah liquor store owner closes shop instead of signing new state contract she says would’ve drained her profit

Across the state, astir a twelve agrarian liquor stores, similar Maxfield’s, person shuttered, leaving communities and tiny concern owners scrambling.

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That closure and others similar it crossed agrarian Utah are the effect of a quality betwixt small-town and agrarian liquor store operators and the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS).

In January, DABS issued caller declaration presumption for “package agencies,” which are authorities liquor stores tally by backstage individuals successful agrarian areas. For operators similar Maxfield, the caller presumption weren’t conscionable tough, they were wholly unrealistic.

“Several were precise concerning,” Maxfield said.

One of the biggest issues? Credit and debit paper fees.

“Those merchant fees would present beryllium passed connected to me,” Maxfield said, guessing the outgo to beryllium astir $24,000 per year.

“To enactment that successful perspective,” she added, “last year, my take-home wage aft taxes and expenses was $30,000.”

DABS solution to the issues the caller recognition and debit paper presumption presented were dismissive, Maxfield said.

“They told maine I don’t person to instrumentality recognition cards if I don’t privation to,” she said. “‘Just don’t instrumentality cards.’ But that creates its ain acceptable of problems.”

Tourists seldom transportation currency and Maxfield didn’t privation to support ample amounts of wealth successful the store for information reasons.

DABS besides dictates prices. Maxfield wasn’t allowed to negociate the presumption oregon rise rates to offset caller costs and she wasn’t fixed a accidental to negotiate.