GRAND JUNCTION, CO - The battle over the right for Colorado's convenience stores to sell strong beer continues, with KKCO highlighting the issue.

Currently, Colorado law only allows liquor stores and bars to sell beer with an alcohol content of 3.2 percent or more. Convenience stores have been trying unsuccessfully for years to level the playing field.

"We're not allowed to compete on the same basis as everyone else. The consumer thinks beer is beer. We think beer is beer. Our competition thinks beer should be beer for them, but not for us," said Jason Hopfer, a lobbyist for multiple convenience stores.

Convenience stores are also arguing that bars and liquor stores are selling the lower alcohol content beer that should only be on their shelves. "We can sell decaf and our competition can sell full strength coffee, and they've been selling the other side as well," Hopfer said.

Liquor stores oppose granting convenience stores a broader liquor license, citing a marketplace saturation of competition.

"The current amount of licenses would triple in the state, so everybody that currently has a liquor license would be hurting...some more, some less," said Monty Haltiner, manager of Colorado liquor store.

Additionally, liquor stores maintain that they're not allowed to sell groceries, a restriction that should work two ways when it comes to a convenience store selling one of its core products.

"We don't want groceries. We don't want gas. We don't want any of that stuff. We're satisfied with what we have. We just like to keep that status quo. They are apparently trying to make up for some other lack of business by taking our business from us," Haltiner said.

The article emphasized that convenience stores will continue urging legislators to modify the law that they say is cutting into their sales.