# Would you be weirded out by a store not letting you bring your kid in? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 28, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791 "2014-08-28T20:29:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/21 "2014-08-29T02:44:53Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > The store might have a smoking bar inside Nope. But there is a walk-in humidor. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/22 "2014-08-29T04:07:07Z")
I’m fairly certain liquor stores want to avoid losing their liquor license. And different townships, cities, counties, and states have different laws/ordinances. So, before someone starts beefing at the cashier on the store’s seemingly ridiculous rules, I think they should check on the local laws first. And remember, the cashier probably isn’t the one who makes the rules. He’s just the one who’ll get fired, fined, and/or arrested if he doesn’t follow them. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/23 "2014-08-29T05:10:56Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > Only because grocery stores would have a harder time than liquor stores at banning children. Actually, if you examine many supermarket shelves, you will notice that many of the more expensive, breakable items are on shelves out of toddler rampage reach. The $20.00 imported balsamic vinegar is on the top shelves with the cheaper stuff, frequently in plastic bottles, located much lower. Furthermore, the merchandise in grocery stores is usually less expensive than what is available even on the bottom shelves of liquor stores. Not to mention the trouble the liquor store would get into if Junior managed to get his paws on a bottle of cheap wine, twist off the cap, and took a swig. Beer is also a potential problem. Plenty of three year olds know how to open single serving cans. Well, in California, which I realize is a different state than where the OP lives, they sell wine and liquor in grocery stores. Even the top end stuff. Someone it still isn’t a common occurrence for kids to break bottles or take a swig. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/24 "2014-08-29T05:28:27Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > I went to a wedding like that once, the invitation was very clear that it was adults only, and it was out of town, so I spent a lot of time finding a nanny service, and paid a lot of money for a nanny to come to the hotel, and then skipped some of the pre-wedding festivities to pick up the nanny, and spend some time hanging out with my kid and the nanny to make sure it wasn’t like I was suddenly thrusting her into the company of a complete stranger … and then I got to the wedding and there were several kids (around the same age as mine) having a grand old time, very nice, not bothering anyone and looking cute on the dance floor. Later I found out that some other guests had really pressed the issue with the bride, and she gave in. The whole thing would have been about a 1000 times easier for me if I would have brought my daughter. No one below b’nei mitzvah age was invited to my wedding, and we even had an other-location activity for the couple of out-of-town kids who had to come in with their parents. Some people, who were local, brought their kids anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/25 "2014-08-29T06:00:53Z")
I don’t recall ever having been kicked out of a liquor store as a kid. My own kid has bought candy at a liquor store and not had any problems. Hell, last year I accompanied my daughter and several teenage friends of hers to BevMo and bought them all Faygo (it’s one of the few places in SoCal that sells it), and no one said anything until I went to pay. The cashier didn’t like having all those kids around though, and asked them to wait outside while I paid for their sodas and a tiny bottle of tequila for myself (hey, Mom needs a treat too :D). ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/26 "2014-08-29T08:28:53Z")
I went into a liquor store in Oklahoma with an 8-month-old baby in my arms. The manager said nobody under 21 was allowed and he would be happy to have an employee _hold my child outside the door_ while I shopped. I was only intending to buy it so I could go to a club and turn it over and have them sell it to me again, glass by glass. At that point I reconsidered. Oklahoma used to make it a real pain to drink liquor. And yet, quite a lot of it is drunk in Oklahoma. Seattle has some weird liquor laws, too. I went there with my kid (same kid as above, 11 years later) and there was some magical invisible line–with the kid, we could sit there, but we couldn’t sit here, because liquor laws. I, however, was allowed to order a drink in either place. I could see no difference at all in the places. The bar was not visible from the first seat I picked nor the one we were later ushered to. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/27 "2014-08-29T11:24:42Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > One of the many fine features of Spec’s (especially the Warehouse Store near downtown) is the tastings. Regularly, representatives will offer free sips of beer, wine or liquor. One recent afternoon whiskeys were featured. The Laphroig guy was there, telling us about Islay; we got to sip a couple of his samples & a mixologist even made a cocktail! There were other whiskeys (yes, I’m probably spelling it wrong) & a very slight buzz was achieved. > > This would not be possible if people under 21 were allowed in the store. Or checking all those ID’s would be far too cumbersome. So I can fully understand the rule. (Also, the place sometimes gets crowded, especially around the holidays. The staff handles things well, but I’m quite happy there are no Little Darlings running around.) In Ohio, regular grocery stores like Kroger do tastings. Somehow they manage to do this with packed stores full of kids. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/28 "2014-08-29T11:52:44Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Specs Liquor is a Texas chain of liquor stores, some are straight liquor stores and some have extensive grocery sections and imported gourmet foods. > > They seem to have a very inconsistent policy of only allowing people age 21 in the store, even minors in the company of their parents. It is very variable, occasionally a location will have a person at the door checking IDs and I saw some parents with infants just turn and leave and some argue and be allowed in, so it is almost just like they discourage minors in the store. I fully understand refusing teens unaccompanied by adults at the locations that only sell alcohol, but it makes no sense for those accompanied by adults and at the grocery locations. > > Anyway I’d be very pissed to be told I couldn’t bring my young kid in with me to buy groceries, I’m supposed to get a baby sitter so I can get groceries? I would go out of my way to shop there! > [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Our liquor laws are perhaps the most permissive here, and this seems bizarre to me. Why shouldn’t the kids watch daddy be a disappointment? 🙂 Where is here? > [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > In supermarkets or liquor stores, beer is usually either in cardboard boxes or has the hard plastic 6-pack holders that go over the top. The soda-style sealife-killing 6 pack rings seem to be more for soda now. They are still common in Maine. I bought a sixer on Monday in Holden held together by a sealife killer. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/29 "2014-08-29T11:54:55Z")
A bar I go to has a restaurant liquor license. So, kids can technically be there with an adult. But it is still a grimy bar. It’s pretty pathetic when an adult comes in, puts their six year old at a table with a can of coke, and then goes to the bar and drinks as many Budweisers as they can, as quickly as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/30 "2014-08-29T12:34:36Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > In Texas, the law is you have to be 21 or have a legal parent/guardian with you. TABC does surprise inspections on occasion. > > As long as a kid has a parent around, it’s up to individual stores. > > I’ve seen it vary among different Spec’s stores. Seems to be less of an issue in the suburbs, but I can imagine the main store on Smith might not want as many kids around with how busy and hectic it can get in there. A few years ago, Spec’s got hit with an expensive legal problem. Formely seedy Washington Avenue was turning into a destination spot, with restaurants, clubs & shops. Spec’s opened a nice new store with a very large food section; they were a few feet too close to an elementary school (blocks away) but the City gave them a waiver. For a little while, Washington became quite the hotspot–neighbors on back streets had some difficulties with drunk douchebags daring to park in front of their houses (on streets maintained by the City). So a local woman sued to have the Illegal Spec’s closed down–because it was an easy target. Spec’s lost a bunch of money. For a while, there was no free liquor tasting even at the Big Store! So I’m fine with [Spec’s](http://www.specsonline.com/cgi-bin/showpage?pageid=main) setting their own rules. In Texas, beer & wine are sold in grocery stores, convenience stores & other places. (Unless you have the misfortune to live in a dry area.) And Houston has many sources for interesting groceries. If you must have that pint of Popov, your neighborhood liquor store will probably let you bring the kids. I agree that liquor laws are often silly. Here, you can buy any sort of alcoholic drink after 10AM on a Sunday morning–in restaurants or cafes serving food. But you can’t pick up a bottle of wine of a 6-pack of St Arnold’s at the grocery store until noon. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/31 "2014-08-29T13:59:40Z")
Not sure if somebody posted this already, but this happened in Ontario: > **[LCBO needs to apply a little common sense to iron-clad policy](https://torontosun.com/2014/05/15/lcbo-needs-to-apply-a-little-common-sense-to-iron-clad-policy)** > > If you are buying booze at the LCBO, don’t even think about letting your teenager carry it to the cash. TL;DR - Mom digging in purse for wallet, 17-year-old son lifts case of beer onto the counter to help out his mom, LCBO refuses to sell it to her. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/32 "2014-08-29T15:09:11Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Well, in California, which I realize is a different state than where the OP lives, they sell wine and liquor in grocery stores. Even the top end stuff. Someone it still isn’t a common occurrence for kids to break bottles or take a swig. They sell wine and beer in grocery stores here to. Teenagers trying to steal the alcohol is a major headache for every grocery store manager I have known. And little kids do get into it (along with everything else in the grocery store) if the staff isn’t vigilant. There’s a lot of good reasons to ban kids from most stores, but unfortunately, too many hyper-sensitive parents to enforce such policies. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/33 "2014-08-29T15:25:00Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Specs Liquor is a Texas chain of liquor stores, some are straight liquor stores and some have extensive grocery sections and imported gourmet foods. > > They seem to have a very inconsistent policy of only allowing people age 21 in the store, even minors in the company of their parents. It is very variable, occasionally a location will have a person at the door checking IDs and I saw some parents with infants just turn and leave and some argue and be allowed in, so it is almost just like they discourage minors in the store. I fully understand refusing teens unaccompanied by adults at the locations that only sell alcohol, but it makes no sense for those accompanied by adults and at the grocery locations. > > Anyway I’d be very pissed to be told I couldn’t bring my young kid in with me to buy groceries, I’m supposed to get a baby sitter so I can get groceries? That’s really weird… the Spec’s by me (the Dallas flagship) has one of those carts with the little race-car for small kids attached. They’ve NEVER given me a hard time about taking my son in, or about me making race car sounds as we navigate the aisles. Of course, he’s barely 3 years old, so maybe that has something to do with it. I could see them not wanting 17 year olds coming in, with or without their parents. The potential for pilferage is way too high. But 3 year olds? Why not? ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/34 "2014-08-29T15:29:43Z")
The liquor stores around here all have a “No One Under 21 Allowed” sign posted, but they all allow me in with my kids. I asked at one place and they said it was to keep unaccompanied minors out of the store. Makes sense, as liquor stores around here can only sell wine and liquor and literally nothing else (no cigarettes, ice, corkscrews, anything). ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/35 "2014-08-29T17:16:58Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > In Indiana, kids can’t go into liquor stores, and it’s always been that way. You can take your kid down the liquor aisle at Walmart, but can’t take them in a dedicated liquor store. I’m pretty sure that it’s only been fairly recently that general grocery stores had liquor aisles. I think the change came around the time that you could no longer assume there was a housewife in every household to do the shopping during the day, and pick up the booze while the kids were in school. > > There are no predominantly liquor stores here that might sell a few other things. The only non-booze things in liquor stores are mixers, wine glasses, cork screws, ice, stuff like that. Indiana also has the weird law that you can’t sell “mixers” in a liquor store – I think you can buy pre-made mixes for margaritas or whatever, but you can’t buy a 2-liter bottle of Coke. Thus, pretty much every single liquor store in Indiana has a Coke or Pepsi vending machine right outside the door. Carryout alcohol sales are also prohibited on Sundays in Indiana, with the exception of breweries/brewpubs that can do growler fills and the like. Restaurants and bars, however, can be open…so liquor stores are closed on Sundays, and you can’t buy a sixer or a bottle of liquor at a grocery store (the whole aisle is usually blocked off), but you can go to a bar and get drunk and drive home… ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/36 "2014-08-30T04:41:59Z")
For another kind of strange liquor selling law, in Mexico alcohol sales are forbidden on Election Day. I was in Cancun one Election Day and all the stores had their liquor all roped off. The tourists were very disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/37 "2014-08-30T06:52:05Z")
> [@grude](#): > > I’m supposed to get a baby sitter so I can get groceries? This would only be weird if there were no other grocery stores you could go to. It’s not as if you _need_ to get your groceries from Specs. But yes, the whole idea is weird. I mean, I can understand not _selling_ booze to kids, but they’re not going to get a contact high just from being in a bottlestore, FFS. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/38 "2014-08-30T16:38:45Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > For another kind of strange liquor selling law, in Mexico alcohol sales are forbidden on Election Day. I was in Cancun one Election Day and all the stores had their liquor all roped off. The tourists were very disappointed. Plenty of areas of the United States have similar laws. When I studied Texas history at the university level I read accounts of how Election Day would often turn into a holiday in many areas and toward the end of the day would often result in a lot of fighting and civil disruption (think cowboys rioting). Some counties banned liquor sales on the actual Election Day in attempt to reduce this problem. Of course, plenty of people simply bought their booze the day before. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/39 "2014-08-30T17:34:28Z")
Many smaller shops in the U.K. have restrictions on children. Usually on the lines of no more than one or two children at any one time. It’s to cut down on theft. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791/40 "2014-08-30T17:52:08Z")
I don’t have children, so this hasn’t been on my radar – I hadn’t realized how much things have changed. (When I go to visit family/friends back in FL, you can buy beer/wine in the grocery store and obviously there are children there with parents.) But it seems very strange. I remember accompanying my mom into the liquor store as a kid. If anything will make alcohol boring, it’s watching your mom buy bourbon, which to a child tastes like terrible cough medicine. And I also remember my mom and grandmother rubbing whiskey on childrens’ gums when they were getting teeth (baby or adult). Apparently that’ll land you in trouble with DCF these days. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-weirded-out-by-a-store-not-letting-you-bring-your-kid-in/696791.md?page=3)