UTAH COUNTY, Utah — Bottles are coming off the shelves of four different Utah liquor stores for the final time this week.
A chain called ’TGS Liquor Agency’ is set to permanently shut down their Payson, Panguitch, Eureka and Richfield locations.
“They’ve actually done a great job with this one,” said customer Robert Bryant, who recently visited the Richfield store. “There’s space, there’s variety, and now - they’re closing it.”
Signs posted on their front door give the owner’s statement, saying that contracts for ‘package agencies’ like theirs were highly restructured in 2025 by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services and ’set them up for failure.’
The small business said it saw increasing revenues, yet its compensation continually dwindled.
“It kind of shocks me, because there are so few opportunities to buy alcohol in this area - especially in the rural areas,” said Bryant.
For the people of Payson, this closure will mean a 10-15 minute drive up I-15 to reach the state liquor store in Springville. But in some of those other locales, they’ll be made to go much farther afield.
Richfield residents will have to ride north to Salina, a 20-minute drive. In Bryant’s case, he lives in Antimony and will have to travel twice as far.
“That’s 40 miles,” Bryant said.
Over in Eureka, their nearest alternative should have been a 30-minute drive to Payson.
When the neon lights go out on Friday, the 35 jobs that TGS says will be lost are a hit of their own.
“Some people say ‘oh, it’s just a few jobs,’” said Bryant. “But, in these small communities, just a few jobs is a lot.”
We reached out to officials with DABS for comment, but have not yet heard back.
