104. Provisions governing wholesalers. 1. (a) No wholesaler shall be engaged in any other business on the premises to be licensed; except that nothing contained in this chapter shall: (1) prohibit a beer wholesaler from (i) acquiring, storing or selling non-alcoholic snack foods, as defined in paragraph (b) of this subdivision, (ii) manufacturing, bottling, storing, or selling non-alcoholic carbonated beverages, (iii) manufacturing, storing or selling non-alcoholic non-carbonated soft drinks, mineral waters, spring waters, drinking water, non-taxable malt or cereal beverages, juice drinks, fruit or vegetable juices, ice, liquid beverage mixes and dry or frozen beverage mixes, (iv) acquiring, storing or selling wine products, (v) the sale of promotional items on such premises, or (vi) the sale of tobacco products at retail by wholesalers who are licensed to sell beer and other products at retail; (2) prohibit a wholesaler authorized to sell wine from manufacturing, acquiring or selling wine merchandise, as defined in paragraph (d) of this subdivision; (3) prohibit a licensed winery or licensed farm winery from engaging in the business of a wine wholesaler for New York state labeled wines produced by any licensed winery or licensed farm winery or prohibit such wine wholesaler from exercising any of its rights pursuant to sections seventy-six and seventy-six-a of this chapter provided that the operation of such beer and wine wholesalers business shall be subject to such rules and regulations as the liquor authority may prescribe; (4) prohibit a beer wholesaler who is authorized to sell beer at retail from selling at retail: (i) candy, chewing gum and cough drops; (ii) non-refrigerated salsa; (iii) cigarette lighters, lighter fluid, matches and ashtrays; (iv) barbecue and picnic-related products and supplies, which shall include, but not be limited to, charcoal, grills, propane gas, plastic and paper cups, paper or plastic tablecloths and coolers; (v) beer making and brewing supplies and publications, which shall include, but not be limited to, books, magazines, equipment and ingredients; (vi) steins, mugs and other glassware appropriate for the consumption of beer, malt beverages and wine products; (vii) items typically used to serve beer and malt beverages including, but not limited to, taps, kegerators, koozies and beer socks; (viii) lemons, limes and oranges, provided that no more than two dozen of each shall be displayed at any one time; (ix) rock salt, ice and snow melting compounds, snow shovels; windshield washer solvent; firewood; beach umbrellas; sunglasses and sun block; and (x) prepaid telephone cards; or (5) prohibit the installation and operation of a single automated teller machine in the premises of a beer wholesaler who is authorized to sell beer at retail. For the purposes of this subdivision, "automated teller machine" means a device which is linked to the accounts and records of a banking institution and which enables consumers to carry out banking transactions, including but not limited to, account transfers, deposits, cash withdrawals, balance inquiries and loan payments.
(b) "Non-alcoholic snack foods" as used in paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall include ready to eat finger foods ordinarily intended to be served cold or at room temperature, such as nut and seed meats, cooked pork rinds, pretzels, popped corn and a variety of other similar finger foods which are prepared from high-starch and/or cellulosic edible materials.
(c) "Promotional items" are items which bear advertising information, are of nominal value, are obtained by a licensee through a supplier of alcoholic beverages and are designated and designed for unconditional sale or distribution to the public. The sale or distribution of promotional items shall be incidental to the licensee's sale of alcoholic beverages. All promotional items shall be properly invoiced.
(d) "Wine merchandise" as used in paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall include corkscrews, ice, the sale of publications, including prerecorded video and/or audio cassette tapes, designed to help educate consumers in their knowledge and appreciation of wine and wine products, as defined in section three of this chapter, or the sale of glasses designed for the consumption of wine, racks designed for the storage of wine, and devices designed to minimize oxidation in bottles of wine which have been uncorked.
2. No wholesaler shall sell, or agree to sell or deliver in the state any liquors and/or wines, as the case may be, in any cask, barrel, keg, hogshead or other container, except in a sealed package containing quantities in accordance with federal size standards adopted pursuant to the federal alcohol administration act, as amended (27 U.S.C. 201 et. seq.); provided, however, that wholesalers may store, warehouse or keep off the licensed premises any liquors and/or wines in bulk for sale to a rectifier or to a permittee engaged in the manufacture of products which are unfit for beverage use. Such containers shall have affixed thereto such labels as may be required by the rules of the liquor authority, together with all necessary federal revenue and New York state excise tax stamps, as required by law.
3. Each wholesaler shall have painted on the front window of the licensed premises, or if there be no window, on a sign affixed to the front of the building containing said licensed premises, the name of the licensee together with the inscription, "New York State wholesale beer, liquor or wine license number ________________"; as the case may be, in uniform letters not less than three and one-half inches in height.
5. No wholesaler shall transport alcoholic beverages in any vehicle owned and operated or hired and operated by such wholesaler, unless there shall be attached to or inscribed upon both sides of such vehicle a sign, showing the name and address of the licensee, together with the following inscription: "New York State wholesale beer, liquor or wine license number ................. , " as the case may be, in uniform letters not less than three and one-half inches in height. In lieu of such sign, a wholesaler may have in the cab of such vehicle a photostatic copy of its current license issued by the authority, and such copy duly authenticated by the authority.
6. No wholesaler shall deliver any alcoholic beverages, except in vehicles owned and operated by such wholesaler, or hired and operated by such wholesaler from a trucking or transportation company registered with the liquor authority, and shall only make deliveries at the licensed premises of the purchaser.
10. Each wholesaler shall keep and maintain upon the licensed premises, adequate books and records of all transactions involving the business transacted by such wholesaler, which shall show the amount of alcoholic beverages in gallons, purchased by such wholesaler together with the names, license numbers and places of business of the persons from whom the same was purchased and the amount involved in such purchases, as well as the amount of alcoholic beverages, in gallons, sold by such wholesaler together with the names, addresses, and license numbers of such purchasers whether the same shall be purchased or sold within or without the state. Each sale shall be recorded separately on a numbered invoice, which shall have printed thereon the number, the name of the licensee, the address of the licensed premises, and the current license number. Such wholesaler shall deliver to the purchaser a true duplicate invoice stating the name and address of the purchaser, the quantity of alcoholic beverages, description by brands and the price of such alcoholic beverages, and a true, accurate and complete statement of the terms and conditions on which such sale is made. Any terms and conditions of a sale not stated on said invoice shall constitute a service within the meaning of section one hundred and one, subdivision one (c) of this chapter. Such books, records and invoices shall be kept for a period of two years and shall be available for inspection by any authorized representative of the liquor authority.
11. No wholesaler shall furnish or cause to be furnished to any licensee, any exterior or interior sign, printed, painted, electric or otherwise, unless authorized by the liquor authority.
Last modified: February 3, 2019