The familiar shelves at 299 Blake Street stood empty this week, the last bottles stacked with clinical precision, the fluorescent lights humming one final time as Barrie’s Beer Store closed its doors for good.
The shutdown, effective Sunday, marked the end of an era for east-end regulars and workers alike. It is one in a wave of seven Beer Store closures rolling out across Ontario this month, all part of a broad modernization effort by the company.
Ozzie Ahmed, vice president of retail, acknowledged the sting, stating in an official release, “We know this is difficult news for consumers, recyclers, and our employees.” The company positioned the closure as a necessary step to adapt to a shifting marketplace—one where tradition runs up against new retail realities.
The Ontario government’s march toward expanded alcohol retail has redrawn the map for legacy players like The Beer Store. Starting January 1, 2026, all grocery outlets selling alcohol will be on the hook for accepting empty bottle returns and refunding deposits. This change, cited by company officials, removes one of the last unique functions Beer Stores offered and pushes longstanding locations like Blake Street into obsolescence.
For staff, the closure is more than lost paycheques. Ahmed emphasized the company’s commitment to helping affected employees through the transition. Local residents, too, lose a familiar spot—a small anchor in a cityscape in flux.
The closure of Blake Street’s Beer Store is not just a story of one shop shuttering. It’s a signpost of a larger transformation for retailers across the province, and a call for communities to reckon with what’s gained, and what’s lost, as modernization barrels forward.
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The Beer Store closes Barrie location as company moves ahead with modernization plans
