National headlines suggest alcohol consumption is on the decline, with Gallup reporting that U.S. drinking is at a historic low. In 2026, 54% of U.S. adults said they drink alcohol, tying the record low set the year before. Younger generations are drinking less, the population is more health conscious and the use of GLP-1 medications is on the rise. Gallup reported 11% of U.S. adults were using the medications for weight loss in 2026, up from 3% in 2024.Some studies have also found GLP-1 drugs may reduce alcohol cravings and consumption.
Despite broader national trends, local liquor stores remain a community staple. There are currently 18 retail liquor stores operating in Wheat Ridge, according to the city. The city has seen an increase in liquor-related activity over the past year, predominantly in the Clear Creek area. Wheat Ridge has received 10 new liquor license applications across all license types in 2026. Eight have been issued and two are still pending. By comparison, the city issued four liquor licenses in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and three in 2025.
While younger people may be drinking less, the decline is not distributed equally. A national study published in September in Annals of Internal Medicine found alcohol use among adults ages 50 to 64 increased nearly 4% between 2018 and 2024, while heavy drinking increased more than 36%. Research was based on analysis of National Health Interview Survey responses from more than 114,000 U.S. adults. Wheat Ridge over-indexes for residents ages 50 to 64 at about 21 percent compared with Colorado at 18 percent and the nation at 19 percent, according to U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. This translates to roughly one in five Wheat Ridge residents being in an age group that is currently contradicting national trends.
Not only are liquor stores accommodating preferences of shifting demographics, the landscape liquor stores are operating in has changed materially. Colorado grocery and convenience stores were allowed to begin selling full-strength beer in 2019 and were then allowed to sell wine beginning in 2023 after voters approved Proposition 125. The changes put traditional liquor stores in direct competition with grocery stores for beer and wine. The city said the biggest difference between Wheat Ridge’s liquor stores today and 10 or 20 years ago is the change in state law governing where alcohol can be sold.
Simultaneously, some imbibers may be taking the increase in bar and restaurant prices of alcohol as a cue to change their habits to enjoy their beverages from home more frequently. A 2025 Boston Consulting Group survey found 63% of U.S. alcohol consumers drank at home, up from 54% a decade earlier, while the share drinking in bars and restaurants fell from 27% to 16%.
As retailers navigate the ups and downs of the market, Applejack Wine & Spirits is one example of a store that has evolved with Wheat Ridge for decades. Applejack was established in 1961 when Herb Becker opened the original store in the Applewood Village Shopping Center. Becker moved Applejack to its current location at 3320 Youngfield St. in 1974 and sold the business to Alan Freis in 1980. Jim Shpall joined the business in 1994 and later led its expansion beyond Wheat Ridge. Applejack eventually opened locations in Thornton and Colorado Springs.
Market Watch magazine named Shpall its 2024 Retailer of the Year and estimated Applejack Wine & Spirits’ annual revenue at between $70 million and $85 million. The city does not publicly disclose sales tax information for individual businesses, but confirmed Applejack is currently among Wheat Ridge’s top five sales tax contributors.
Applejack has also seen change this year with the acquisition of all three Colorado locations by Florida-based ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. This marked ABC’s first expansion outside Florida. The company operates more than 125 stores, according to the company. The three Colorado locations continue to operate as Applejack by ABC.
The city said ABC has mentioned making investments in the Wheat Ridge location, including a potential remodel, although no detailed plans have been announced. The acquisition came at a time when even retailers the size of Applejack are adjusting to changes in the industry.
In a 2024 interview with Market Watch, Shpall said consumption was down and competition was changing. Spirits accounted for about 44% of Applejack’s sales at the time, followed by wine at 39% and beer at 16%. Ready-to-drink cocktails were also outperforming other categories.
For smaller neighborhood liquor stores, adapting looks different.
“We follow our customers,” said Joe DeMott, who entered the liquor store business after learning the store next to his family’s longtime Wheat Ridge restaurant, Pietra’s Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant, was going to close because the owner was retiring. DeMott purchased the shop at 9075 W. 44th Ave., next to Pietra’s, and operates it as Tiny Liquor and Smoke Shop. Pietra’s has been in Wheat Ridge since 1964, giving DeMott years of experience watching what customers in the neighborhood want. Today, there’s more foot traffic than ever.
“My customers want to get to-go pizza and a bottle of wine and it’s a convenience for them,” DeMott said. Tiny’s mostly caters to customers stopping in for a single bottle of wine, beer or another quick purchase rather than people making a large stock-up trip. DeMott said knowing the neighborhood and the clientele is the key to staying in business as the retail environment changes. He has taken the opposite approach of other retailers and built a stronger wine selection because he knows he is competing directly with grocery stores and his clientele wants a robust wine selection with more convenience. At the same time, he is expanding categories grocery stores may not focus on or are not able to carry, including nonalcoholic beverages and ready-to-drink cocktails. He also plans to add complementary products such as cheese and other food items.
The smoke shop portion of the business attracts another group of customers, including those buying energy drinks and sweets. DeMott is expanding, but rather than trying to compete with large liquor stores on size, he said independent retailers can use their location and neighboring businesses to their advantage. DeMott said his advice to other independent retailers is to understand the customer and create opportunities based on the nearby businesses.
Molly’s Spirits has also gotten into the nonalcoholic and ready-to-drink cocktail game, but its key differentiator is still large selection, personalized customer service and now online ordering and delivery. Molly’s opened its original store in 2014 and later expanded to Greenwood Village and Longmont. Greg Diehl of Molly’s said the business still feels changes in the alcohol market and continues to recover from shifts that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The changes show that even among customers who continue to drink, what they are buying is changing. Diehl said, “tequila and vodka have also remained popular with customers looking for options they perceive as containing less sugar.” Molly’s wine selection has expanded to include categories such as organic wine.
Liquor stores continue to find new opportunities in Wheat Ridge. A state liquor license was approved in December 2025 for Ridge Liquors LLC at 5808 W. 38th Ave., the longtime location of Wheat Ridge Liquors. The future of the neighborhood liquor store is all about knowing your neighbors and what they are looking for in terms of selection, recommendations, price point and convenience. The stores may look different than they did 10 or 20 years ago, and the mix will likely continue to change, but liquor stores in Wheat Ridge are not going anywhere anytime soon. If anything, they are expanding to meet the demands of the community.
