BOISE, Idaho — State officials say they have changed the way state-owned liquor stores sell rare bottles of alcohol after instances of hoarding, illegal reselling and bad behavior by customers.
The Idaho State Liquor Division late last month announced the new rules involving rare but highly sought after bourbons, whiskeys and other small-batch liquor offerings.
That combination has resulted in what the agency calls "unsavory behavior" by some customers that includes harassment of store workers.
"In an effort to thwart bad behavior, reduce hoarding, and add excitement to the
shopping experience, we have decided to experiment with a 'Treasure Hunt' approach in how we allocate and merchandise rare products in our retail stores," the Idaho State Liquor Division wrote in the announcement.
The new rules mean the agency will now sporadically allocate rare products across its 67 retail outlets. The agency has also stopped listing rare-product inventory on its website.
An item is not for sale unless it is displayed on a retail shelf, officials noted, adding that employees have been instructed to sell only items that are on display.
"It is our hope that by introducing a more dispersed and unpredictable distribution of rare products, we will discourage and eventually eliminate the systematic hoarding of rare products," liquor officials wrote. "Our goal is to enable a wider array of customers to have the opportunity to purchase these items. There will continue to be a purchase limit on individual rare items of one bottle per customer."
To read the full announcement, click here.
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