About NJLSA
New Jersey Liquor Store Alliance
You Are Not Alone
The New Jersey Liquor Store Alliance (NJLSA) is an association of retailers (like you) working tirelessly to ensure our voice is heard in Trenton! You do not have to feel like you’re on your own when it comes to protecting your business. We are dedicated to protecting and defending your livelihood and your licenses.
Our Industry Has Endured
- New competition
- Changes in State regulations
- Challenges to our State’s long-standing two-license limit
- FREE THE GRAPES crusade – internet-based winery-to-consumer DIRECT-SHIPPING from the west coast
- Sales tax
- Substantial increase in gas tax
- The internet
Present Day
- Record level of legislative threats
- During the COVID19 NJLSA had successful role as intervenors in Bernstein vs State of New Jersey legal case where out-of-state retailers were seeking to circumvent our regulatory system to allow them to go DTC, which would have opened the floodgates for web base platforms
- There are efforts to undermine our industry, which in many cases would jeopardize the welfare and public safety of our citizens
- There are special interests trying to convince our Legislature to totally reform our time-tested licensing system
- They want unlimited inexpensive licenses to sell alcoholic beverages in convenience stores, drugstore chains, grocery stores and warehouse clubs
- On another front, West Coast wineries are working hard to remove the direct shipping cap on gallonage to allow any size winery (including those whose products we are currently selling) to open our door to Amazon
NJLSA Helps You Get Connected
- There is a common bond that all independent retailers share when our livelihoods are threatened.
- NJLSA is a living breathing organic component of our state’s alcohol industry.
- The creation of the NJLSA took place after the millennium with the consolidation of the Alliance of North Jersey Retailers and the original New Jersey Liquor Store Association.
- Our national affiliate the American Beverage Licenses (ABL) was created from the consolidation of two large associations representing on-premises and off-premises licenses of our industry.
- The Asian-American Retailer Association (AARA) was born and connected at the hip to the NJLSA, where it still holds a seat on our Executive Board and supports all our key events and legislative efforts.
- AARA’s focus is divided between liquor stores, convenience stores and gas stations. They have become a very strong partner of the NJLSA especially in key legislative matters.
- We also work closely with the New Jersey Licensed Beverage Association that is dedicated to protecting on-premises consumption licenses for our state’s bars, nightclubs, restaurants, and taverns.
Board of Directors
President
Marvin Sellers
Joe Canal’s
Bellmawr, NJ
Previous Past-President
Michael Patalano
Spirits Unlimited
Toms River, NJ
1st Vice President
Andrew Friedman
Bottle King
Livingston, NJ
2nd Vice President
Lawrence LaVaglia
ShopRite Liquors
Rochelle Park, NJ
Treasurer
Juan Negrin
Super Wine Warehouse
Paterson, NJ
Secretary
Adithya Bathena
Super Buy Rite
Jersey City, NJ
Director
Sunny Patel
Sunny’s Liquors
Passaic, NJ
Director
Michael Wade
Bourbon Street Wine & Spirits
Califon, NJ
Director
Andy Sisti
Spirit of ’76 Wines & Liquors
Manasquan, NJ
Director
Lou Scaduto, Jr.
Food Circus Super Markets
Middletown, NY
Legislative Representative
Kevin Hagan
Executive Director
Sam Weinstein
Director of Association Management
Lorna O'Hara
Why Join NJLSA?
- Advocacy & Industry Representation
- Networking Opportunities
- Access to Exclusive Resources
- Support for Independent Retailers