THUNDER BAY — In a change of plans, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario has decided not to open their stores for limited times and instead will remain closed.
At least one Thunder Bay business is seeing a glimmer of a silver lining coming out of the LCBO strike that is now in its second week.
Tina Kerekes, owner of Wine Kitz, said they are receiving many questions from new customers who want to know about the length of time and process for making their own wine.
"It can take four to six weeks to make something, but if, when you think of how long the strike may last, it could be good planning," Kerekes said.
With the inquiries come new customers who may have never considered making their own wine.
"We are a third to half the price of wine in a liquor store and once people actually realize that, that's where we are definitely getting new customers and hopefully repeat customers because they like, they like the taste," she said.
Kerekes said some people who have never done the wine-making process may think that it is "intimidating."
"They feel like this is a mystical process that happens and then when they come here (and make their first batch) it seems so anticlimactic," she said, adding they also supply reusable bottles and wine bags.
"We are so much more environmentally friendly," she said.
"You don't recycle that bottle, you wash it out and you reuse it. The bag is the same thing. We sterilize that and we use it again and the environmental impacts are so much less."
Kerekes added that if customers place an order, they can make it a little quicker and rush the process a bit more.
Strikers attempt to be 'nimble'
Meanwhile, on the picket line, Mo Marsonet, vice-president of the liquor board employees union Local 741, (a division of Ontario Public Service Employees Union), said spirits are high despite the hot and sometimes rainy weather.
She said they have been moving between LCBO locations throughout the week and work with their local strike committee based on what's going on at the LCBO stores or warehouse.
"We have to be nimble because the LCBO keeps changing strategies," she said.
"The LCBO has shifted and pivoted and they've decided not to open any stores to the public. They're going to try to fulfil licensee orders but we don't know where from. They're going to use the personnel that they have."
Union members have been picketing around the Thunder Centre LCBO branch last week and moved to the Arthur Street location at one point and the Dawson Road location to picket a delivery truck.
"We're on strike. That truck ended up, ended up at the Dawson Road location so our picket was set up there and our members were able to prevent that truck from docking for about seven hours," Marsonet said, adding it eventually docked and unloaded.
"We haven't seen any activity at the Cumberland Street location or Thunder Bay 616 but that doesn't mean that couldn't change," she said.
"We're not picking locations where there's no activity."
Marsonet said the LCBO managers are doing "bargaining unit work" and the union is trying to prevent that if they can.
"We're not trying to put anybody in danger. We're trying to do it in a safe way as possible, but at the same time, we're resolved. It's no joke," she said.
The Chronicle Journal / Local Journalism Initiative
