This is the time of year when Philadelphia fills up with out-of-staters; college students, families of college students, late season tourists. One of the easiest places to identify an out-of-stater is a state store. They don't even know what a state store is; they just realized there was no wine at the grocery store, and someone told them they had to go here. That's when they learn about the "Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board," and they start to wonder what kind of stick this state has up its ass, exactly, as they had been under the impression that the Northeast was a pretty progressive part of the US. Their irritation at having to make a second trip for a bottle wine becomes outright indignation when they learn that they will have to go to a third location if they want to purchase beer. Surrounded by aisles of wine and vodka and whiskey, they become combative with the sales staff. "What do you mean you don't sell beer?" And all they get is a shrug, because here in Pennsylvania we've resigned ourselves to this fate. It's like our own special taste of socialism.
Once the out-of-stater becomes resigned, they go on to become confused. Because while there are designated wine and liquor stores, beer sales are not so straightforward. There are distributers, where you go if you want to buy beer by the case or the keg. The distributers are usually in a slightly shady or at least out-of-the-way locale. If all you want are six-packs or forties, it gets even trickier. Most pizza and sandwhich shops will have coolers with beer, although not all of them will. Many Asian delis will carry beer, although not all of them will. Your best bet is to wander around until you find a deli or a pizza shop with neon beer advertisements glowing in the window. And by the time the out-of-stater has located a six-pack, what they really need is a shot of something strong, so its back to the state store.
And when they learn about the city's smoking ban, they're wishing they had gone to Jersey.