Rhode Island § 3-7-3 - Retail Licenses

§ 3-7-3. Class A license — Towns and cities of 10,000 or more.

(a) In cities and towns having a population of ten thousand (10,000) or more inhabitants, a retailer’s Class A license authorizes the holder to keep for sale and to sell, at the place described, beverages at retail and to deliver the beverages in a sealed package or container, which package or container shall not be opened nor its contents consumed on the premises where sold. The holder of a Class A license, if other than a person entitled to retail, compound, and dispense medicines and poisons, shall not on the licensed premises engage in any other business, keep for sale or sell any goods, wares, merchandise or any other article or thing except the beverages authorized under this license and nonalcoholic beverages. This provision shall not apply to the sale or selling of cigarettes, newspapers, cigars, cigarette lighters, gift bags, prepackaged peanuts, pretzels, chips, olives, onions, cherries, hot stuffed cherry peppers, Slim Jims and similar pre-packaged dried meat products, pickled eggs, popcorn, pre-packaged candy, styrofoam cooler, lemons, limes, and ice, nor to home bar accessories such as pourers, glasses, cork screws, stirrers, flasks, jiggers, wine racks, ice crushers, bottle openers, can openers and any other items of like nature which may, by suitable regulation of the director of business regulation, be authorized to be sold. A holder of a Class A license will not be prohibited from providing ATM machines to the general public for use on its licensed premises. This section shall not apply to promotional free goods which are subject to approval by the director. In the city of Newport this license may be issued to any person, firm or corporation who are owners of bona fide markets for the sale of alcoholic beverages in conjunction with and in addition to the sale of meats or groceries in those bona fide markets. A person, firm or corporation in that city may obtain a limited Class A license to sell beer, lager and ale on the same premises as other goods, wares, merchandise and articles are sold. No Class A license is granted for any premises unless the premises constitute a separate store, the entrance or entrances to which shall be exclusively from the street or streets or arcade. This provision shall not apply to any person, firm or corporation in the city of Newport who are owners of bona fide markets for the sale of alcoholic beverages in conjunction with and in addition to the sale of meats or groceries in those bona fide markets and as long as the market is owned and operated by the mother, father, son, daughter, brother or sister of the original licensee, but not otherwise.

(b) The premises shall have opaque walls which shall completely partition and sever the premises from any adjoining market, concession or business. This provision shall not be construed to limit the powers of the department to issue licenses on condition nor to make rules and regulations as provided. The annual fee for a Class A license is five hundred dollars ($500) to one thousand dollars ($1,000) prorated to the year ending December 1st in every calendar year.

(c) Any licenses issued under the provisions of this section prior to May 8, 1964 remains in full force and effect.