Mississippi Independent Package Stores Association

OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE MISSISSIPPI INDEPENDENT PACKAGE STORES ASSOCIATION (MIPSA) HAS WORKED TO VOICE MEMBER CONCERNS RELATED TO DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE POLICIES AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) WAREHOUSE OPERATIONS. SPECIFICALLY, MIPSA HAS OBJECTED TO ABC CANCELLING MEMBER ORDERS AND ONLY LOADING FOUR DAYS PER WEEK TO SERVICE A MASSIVE BACKLOG BEING FUELED BY A HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY THAT WORKS SEVEN DAYS PER WEEK. MIPSA HAS ALSO ADVOCATED FOR ABC TO ELIMINATE THE EXCLUSIVE ITEMS, LOWER PRICES, AND SUPERIOR SUPPLY LINES GIVING CORPORATE PERMITTEES AN UNFAIR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OVER LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES. MIPSA'S BOARD HAS SHARED REPORTS RELATED TO THESE AND OTHER CONCERNS WITH THE MISSISSIPPI JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON PERFORMANCE AND EXPENDITURE REVIEW. MIPSA HAS ALSO ADVOCATED MEMBER OPINIONS RELATED TO NEW LEGISLATION BEING CONSIDERED RELATED TO ISSUES SUCH AS SUNDAY SALES, PRIVATIZATION, HIGH-PROOF ALCOHOL SALES IN GROCERY STORES, MULTIPLE PERMITS, AND DIRECT SHIPPING. MIPSA HAS ALSO TRACKED PERFORMANCE BY THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION RELATED TO MIPSA'S PURSUIT OF A NEW 65+ MILLION DOLLAR STATE-OF-THE-ART ABC WAREHOUSE FOR ITS MEMBERS.