Worcester Walmart To Seek Alcohol License From City

WORCESTER, MA — The largest retail store in Worcester may soon start selling beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages.

A company with ties to the Arkansas-based retailer, Westborough Beverage Corp., has applied for a malt and wine license from Worcester for the Tobias Boland Way store. The company was set to have a hearing on the request this week, but it has been postponed to April 20, according to the License Commission.

The Worcester Walmart supercenter wouldn't be the company's first in the state to sell alcohol. The retailer sells booze at multiple locations, including the Northborough store.

The bid for a wine and malt license in Worcester follows the approval of a 2022 ballot measure that helped expand liquor licenses for some retailers. That measure allowed any retailer with more than seven licenses to expand to 12 this year, 15 licenses in 2027 and 18 in 2031.

The Walmart application also follows the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission increasing Worcester's license allotment last year due to population growth. Worcester obtained five new off-premises licenses in the two main categories for a total of 42 all-alcohol licenses which includes liquor sales; and 42 wine and malt beverage licenses.

If Walmart gets its license, it will be limited to selling items like beer and wine, and malt beverages like hard seltzer and lemonade.