Last chance to bid on Washington state liquor stores

Washington state will conclude an online public auction of
its state-run liquor stores on Friday.

Bids range from $3,050 for a store in Belfair to more than
$215,000 for a store in Seattle. A $3.5 million bid also
has been made for all stores.

View the full
list of locations and bids

Washington officials say state stores carry more than
1,400 products and pose a great opportunity for
entrepreneurs looking to serve a niche market. Successful
bidders win the right to operate a store at its current
location, but they still must negotiate a lease, apply and
qualify for a retail liquor license and stock their
stores.

Winning bidders can also arrange to buy remaining
inventory at the location. The cost will be cost of the
product minus the cost it would’ve taken to ship the
product elsewhere.

If the winning bidder is unable to negotiate a lease, the
auction site reports they can request another location,
sell the rights they won to someone else, or hold another
auction.

Washington has tightly controlled the booze industry since
the end of Prohibition, but voters approved an initiative
last year kicking the state out of the business.

Privatization takes effect June 1.

The auction ends Friday at 4 p.m. and the results will be
announced on Monday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.