Hi ho!

Groceries commonly sold whiskey and other "ardent" spirits. They also sold other things. Reading "Five Points" (locale of Gangs of New York)now, author says groceries were more prevelant than saloons, the booze was cheaper but not sold by the drink as much as in a saloon.

Line from Moonshiner song:

"I'll go to the grocery and drink with my friends
No woman to follow to see what I spend
No woman to follow, no children to squall
If you want to stay happy, never marry at all."

But you'd find women in a grocery before you would in a saloon. In fact when women went out to drink they were more likely to go to the grocery and do it since women were generally not allowed in saloons unless they were working and I suppose they could always claim they just came by the grocery for some flour.

Gee I felt bad about Brady getting shot seeing as he was so ecologically sensitive, driving an electric car and all!

CB