Pa. Liquor Control Board Rolls Out New Wine Kiosks

by KYW's Tony Romeo

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has thrown the switch on the first two wine kiosks that will begin sprouting up in supermarkets across the state. But don't look for any in the Philadelphia region for a few more months.

Liquor Control Board chairman P.J. Stapleton took reporters through the process of buying wine from the first of two self-serve kiosks in the Harrisburg area that will be tested over the next month. If all goes well, 98 more will be rolled out later this year.:

"We'll start with western Pennsylvania and work our way to eastern Pennsylvania. The rollout should begin, barring any glitches, in late August and continue through November – the beginning of November."

Each kiosk has a built-in breathalyzer and an LCB employee will monitor each transaction from a remote location to help verify the identity and eligibility of each purchaser. Each kiosk will carry 53 of the LCB's most popular wine selections tailored to different regions.