TOMS RIVER, NJ – Governor Phil Murphy is digging a line in the sand on New Jersey’s liquor reform agenda, and the hill he’s willing to die on is having booze sold in New Jersey’s mall.
In an odd twist in his ongoing battle with the state legislature that doesn’t seem to agree with the governor’s “booze for all necessarily. booze everywhere” agenda, Murphy specifically mentioned the ability to sell and drink alcohol inside New Jersey’s many indoor and outdoor malls.
In an interview on Monday, Phil Murphy said he won’t sign a bill to save the New Jersey craft beer brewing industry unless that bill allows for the sale of alcohol at mall kiosks and food courts.
Murphy proposed revising the state’s breweries bill, introducing changes that could significantly impact liquor license renewals and alcohol sales in shopping mall food courts.
The Murphy revision introduces a new category of special permits designed for alcohol sales in shopping mall food courts.
Similar to other liquor licenses, these permits would require approval from local authorities. The proposal stipulates specific requirements for malls to qualify for these permits. A shopping mall must have a minimum of 500,000 square feet to be eligible for a single special permit. Furthermore, for every additional 150,000 square feet of mall space, an additional special permit can be obtained.
While the Murphy proposal could add a new element to shopping in New Jersey, depending on whether drinks and cocktails can be held and drank throughout the mall or only at designated locations, it also raises safety concerns.
Can mall staff handle intoxicated shoppers? After leaving the mall, will there be an increase in drunk driving incidents? What will the penalties be for shopping while intoxicated.