The future of The Beer Store may be looking a little murky now that Ontario is allowing convenience stores to sell alcoholic beverages, but it looks like the retailer may be able to make up revenue lost on ale with the sale of other items.

According to the new agreement that governs the sweeping changes bringing beer, wine, cider and seltzers to corner and big-box store shelves, the province will have to allow The Beer Store to sell not just drinks and the small handful of other products it currently has available (ice, cups, etc.), but also things like scratch tickets and food.

Who cares what a foreign owned beer conglomerate wants to sell?

If corner stores can sell beer, the Beer Store should be allowed to sell lotto.

— MulbearTheAngry (@MulbearA) June 12, 2024

The framework states that "the Province shall not prohibit TBS from selling any other product, including lottery tickets" through the Liquor Licence and Control Act, listing alcohol other than beer and cider, tobacco products, and cannabis as exceptions to this rule (subject to compliance with other regulatory requirements).

Though it's unclear if the chain will take advantage of this offer, it did say last month — in response to the news that the province was expediting the expansion of alcohol sales to more stores this summer — that it plans to "transform, adapt and thrive," and maintain a "competitive retail footprint."

Per CityNews, the LCBO believes it will also be legally permitted to sell non-alcohol items such as lotto tickets.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation tells blogTO that though OLG products are not presently available for sale at LCBO or Beer Store locations, the crown arm is "constantly evaluating opportunities to expand points of distribution to better serve our customer and fulfill our mandate from government" on a case-by-case basis.

Future of The Beer Store in Ontario uncertain beyond 2026 https://t.co/iacHPeVNJa

— blogTO (@blogTO) May 28, 2024

The Beer Store will also remain the primary distributor of beer in the province, including to its new competitors, and also the main recycling points for alcohol bottles and cans — two things it will shift its focus toward as its beer sales monopoly comes to an end.

Many speculate that it may close a fair number of locations, as evidenced by the fact that the new agreement with the province includes a requirement for TBS to continue to operate a certain number of stores until certain dates — a number that gets smaller over time, from 386 in July 2025 to 300 by the end of that year, and no minimum number after that.