The Beer Store to Close Six More Locations by End of Year
The Beer Store has announced its plan to shutter six additional locations by the end of this year, with one of them situated in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
These closures, set to take effect on November 2, 2025, will impact stores in London, Mattawa, Niagara Falls, Pickering, Sudbury, and the Mississauga branch located on Etude Drive.
According to the private beverage retailer, this decision is part of a broader initiative termed as “market modernization.”
This move follows a series of store shutdowns by The Beer Store following the Ontario government’s decision to expand beer, wine, cider, and pre-mixed cocktails sales to grocery and convenience stores in the previous year.
In related news, the government has struck a deal with The Beer Store, offering up to $225 million to support a seamless transition for the company, safeguard jobs, and ensure the continued functioning of bottle return and recycling services.
The agreement stipulates that a minimum of 300 stores must remain operational until December 31.
Customers in the affected communities are advised to return their empty alcohol containers to nearby licensed return depots. The retailer has also introduced an Empty Return Locator tool to assist customers in finding alternative locations that accept empty containers.
Starting January 1, 2026, grocery stores selling alcohol will be mandated to accept empty returns and refund customer deposits.