Toronto·UpdatedTen more Beer Store locations across Ontario will be closing down effective Sept. 14, in the latest announcement of closures since the year began.Latest closures include locations in Deep River, Hamilton, Sioux Lookout and ScarboroughArrthy Thayaparan · CBC News · Posted: Jul 15, 2025 10:33 AM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes agoWhat to know about The Beer Store’s closures in OntarioThe Beer Store is set to close 10 more locations across the province this fall. This comes after a series of closures announced earlier this year. CBC’s Clara Pasieka has the details.Ten more Beer Store locations across Ontario will be closing down effective Sept. 14.Its the latest reduction announcement, as dozens of other locations have closed since the beginning of the year.”This is not an easy decision and not one we make lightly,” said Ozzie Ahmed, vice president of retail for the Beer Store.”All efforts will be made to support employees through this process in alignment with commitments and agreements,” he said.While Ahmed says the business has had to close some locations to adapt to the province’s changing beer retail market, an expert says it’s a sign that the Beer Store is making “a slow and painful departure.””It’s certainly putting the writing on the wall that there doesn’t seem to be a plan in place to save them … There doesn’t seem to be any new strategy or innovation on the horizon to save the remaining stores,” said Lisa Hutcheson, retail strategist at J.C. Williams Group. A competition with convenienceAccess to alcohol and other goods in convenience stores is one factor leading to The Beer Store’s reductions, says Hutcheson.Booze has been readily available in convenience stores across Ontario since Sept. 2024, thanks to a push from Premier Doug Ford’s government. Ten Beer Store locations across Ontario will be closing effective Sept. 14. (Michael Wilson/CBC News)”When you think about The Beer store today it is really just beer and there isn’t anything else,” said Hutcheson, adding the company should’ve re-strategized to keep stores open years ago. “There’s really nothing interesting about it. There’s no experience, there’s no customer service. You get your beer and you just leave.”Hutcheson says the company, which still has hundreds of locations, can still reinvent itself, but that will take time to research and execute.The Beer Store said in a media release that customers are still encouraged to return empty alcohol containers to any of its locations.The company will be closing the following 10 locations: 2020 Appleby Line, Burlington. 3322 5 Hwy. #17, Deep River. 229 Dundurn St. S, Hamilton. 12334 Hwy. #41, PO Box 17, Northbrook. 1910 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa. Erie St. S, #21 Hwy, Ridgetown. 4479 Kingston Rd, Scarborough. 41 Front St, Sioux Lookout. 636 Greenwood Ave., Toronto. 4681 Hwy # 7, Unionville. ABOUT THE AUTHORArrthy Thayaparan is a Toronto-based multimedia journalist. She’s interested in health, climate and community stories. She has previously worked at Reuters and CBC Vancouver. You can contact her at arrthy.thayaparan@cbc.ca. With files from Patrick Swadden.
Deep River Beer Store among latest round of closures
