For many entrepreneurs, the idea of owning a liquor store is an attractive proposition. Liquor stores can generate cash flow anywhere between $17,666 and $1,400,000 a year, with an average cash flow of around $210,984.22 annually.
Here are the details on the revenue and cost to acquire a liquor store, plus how to purchase a liquor store in 2024. And, we include the best financing options for funding your business.
How much does a liquor store make?
The average liquor store* has an annual net cash flow of $210,984.22. This equates to roughly $17,582.02 a month over a span of a year. However, the profitability of your liquor store business comes down to its location, size, rent, wages and more.
Chart: Cash flow range of liquor stores currently listed for sale
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Liquor store Annual net cash flow 1 $17,666 2 $23,234 3 $27,131 4 $27,818 5 $31,718 6 $32,250 7 $36,112 8 $36,500 9 $40,143 10 $42,492 11 $44,000 12 $46,125 13 $46,777 14 $47,592 15 $49,130 16 $50,000 17 $50,000 18 $55,426 19 $60,000 20 $60,000 21 $61,326 22 $65,000 23 $70,000 24 $70,000 25 $70,000 26 $71,200 27 $72,000 28 $73,000 29 $73,853 30 $75,000 31 $75,000 32 $75,000 33 $75,000 34 $75,000 35 $75,000 36 $75,422 37 $80,000 38 $80,000 39 $81,298 40 $82,000 41 $84,000 42 $84,000 43 $84,000 44 $84,075 45 $85,000 46 $85,057 47 $89,628 48 $90,000 49 $90,657 50 $91,636 51 $95,000 52 $96,000 53 $98,250 54 $99,436 55 $99,756 56 $100,000 57 $100,000 58 $100,000 59 $101,383 60 $105,000 61 $110,000 62 $110,000 63 $115,000 64 $115,000 65 $115,836 66 $120,000 67 $120,000 68 $120,336 69 $122,712 70 $125,000 71 $125,000 72 $125,733 73 $129,275 74 $130,000 75 $130,000 76 $130,000 77 $132,000 78 $134,400 79 $135,000 80 $135,147 81 $136,920 82 $139,820 83 $140,000 84 $140,000 85 $144,429 86 $145,000 87 $145,000 88 $150,000 89 $150,000 90 $150,000 91 $150,000 92 $150,000 93 $156,000 94 $156,000 95 $160,000 96 $160,560 97 $162,791 98 $165,000 99 $172,000 100 $174,802 101 $175,000 102 $175,000 103 $175,000 104 $175,000 105 $175,000 106 $175,000 107 $182,000 108 $185,000 109 $185,000 110 $188,045 111 $190,000 112 $192,000 113 $194,164 114 $200,000 115 $200,000 116 $200,000 117 $200,000 118 $200,254 119 $205,000 120 $205,097 121 $208,000 122 $213,510 123 $218,455 124 $225,000 125 $230,000 126 $230,700 127 $232,412 128 $232,486 129 $241,402 130 $250,000 131 $250,000 132 $250,000 133 $250,000 134 $250,000 135 $250,000 136 $253,000 137 $255,000 138 $260,000 139 $274,571 140 $276,000 141 $277,287 142 $300,000 143 $331,635 144 $334,740 145 $340,000 146 $351,155 147 $353,120 148 $355,000 149 $359,259 150 $360,186 151 $375,000 152 $375,000 153 $387,926 154 $444,000 155 $484,755 156 $500,000 157 $500,000 158 $570,000 159 $578,881 160 $635,000 161 $687,308 162 $715,000 163 $939,067 164 $939,067 165 $1,000,000 166 $1,000,000 167 $1,180,000 168 $1,265,000 169 $1,400,000
How to buy a liquor store
- Find a liquor store for sale. You can find liquor stores for sale locally or online. Online you can search "liquor stores for sale near me" to find a list of business or broker websites that lists liquor stores for sale. It's important to also take note of your finances by knowing how much you have saved towards the purchase of a new business, as well as how much you may need to borrow to buy the business.
- Figure out what the business is worth. Use various valuation methods to get a general idea of the fair market value of the business you're trying to buy to make sure you're getting a good deal.
- Do your due diligence on owning and operating a liquor store. You'll want to weigh the pros and cons before taking the jump. Consider important factors that can affect the profitability of the business you're buying such as location, equipment, utilities and maintenance.
- Get a business loan and make an offer. Unless you have a lot of cash on hand, you'll need a business loan to finance the purchase of a liquor store. Check out our top picks of lenders for a liquor store business loan. Once you're ready to buy, contact and negotiate with the seller or agent of the business and finalize your offer. It may be helpful to have a lawyer look over any negotiations and final contracts.
Our top picks for a liquor store business loan
Good for high loan amounts
For a variety of finance options
Cost of buying liquor stores
The average liquor store for sale costs $905,776.25*. Although prices vary widely depending on the location, the age of equipment and whether you're purchasing real estate as part of the deal. Many are listed well below the average price, and some are much higher than the average price, especially in urban locations.
With the average annual cash flow of a liquor store at $210,984, you can expect to make back your investment in roughly 4.29 years - this translates roughly to a 23.29% APY.
Chart: Cost of liquor stores available for sale
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Liquor store Annual net cash flow 1 $75,000 2 $85,000 3 $89,900 4 $99,575 5 $100,000 6 $100,000 7 $100,000 8 $100,000 9 $110,000 10 $120,000 11 $120,000 12 $130,000 13 $135,000 14 $159,000 15 $159,000 16 $160,000 17 $170,000 18 $175,000 19 $175,000 20 $175,000 21 $180,000 22 $195,000 23 $199,000 24 $200,000 25 $200,000 26 $200,000 27 $202,118 28 $210,000 29 $215,000 30 $220,000 31 $220,000 32 $225,000 33 $225,000 34 $225,000 35 $225,000 36 $225,000 37 $235,000 38 $245,000 39 $250,000 40 $250,000 41 $250,000 42 $250,000 43 $250,000 44 $259,000 45 $260,000 46 $265,000 47 $275,000 48 $275,000 49 $285,000 50 $285,000 51 $295,000 52 $295,000 53 $295,000 54 $295,000 55 $299,000 56 $299,000 57 $299,000 58 $299,000 59 $299,900 60 $299,900 61 $300,000 62 $300,000 63 $300,000 64 $300,000 65 $300,000 66 $315,000 67 $315,000 68 $325,000 69 $325,000 70 $330,000 71 $335,000 72 $350,000 73 $375,000 74 $375,000 75 $375,000 76 $399,000 77 $399,000 78 $439,000 79 $449,000 80 $449,000 81 $450,000 82 $450,000 83 $450,000 84 $475,000 85 $475,000 86 $475,000 87 $499,999 88 $525,000 89 $525,000 90 $545,000 91 $550,000 92 $550,000 93 $550,000 94 $550,000 95 $550,000 96 $550,000 97 $579,000 98 $599,000 99 $599,000 100 $600,000 101 $600,000 102 $600,000 103 $600,000 104 $600,000 105 $600,000 106 $600,000 107 $649,000 108 $650,000 109 $650,000 110 $650,000 111 $650,000 112 $675,000 113 $675,000 114 $696,000 115 $699,000 116 $749,000 117 $750,000 118 $750,000 119 $795,000 120 $799,999 121 $825,000 122 $850,000 123 $850,000 124 $895,000 125 $895,000 126 $899,000 127 $900,000 128 $950,000 129 $997,000 130 $999,000 131 $999,000 132 $999,000 133 $1,050,000 134 $1,100,000 135 $1,100,000 136 $1,200,000 137 $1,200,000 138 $1,200,000 139 $1,200,000 140 $1,299,000 141 $1,300,000 142 $1,350,000 143 $1,400,000 144 $1,499,000 145 $1,599,000 146 $1,700,000 147 $1,750,000 148 $1,750,000 149 $1,850,000 150 $1,975,000 151 $1,999,999 152 $2,050,000 153 $2,400,000 154 $2,400,000 155 $2,700,000 156 $2,797,797 157 $2,900,000 158 $2,900,000 159 $3,000,000 160 $3,300,000 161 $3,400,000 162 $3,400,000 163 $3,500,000 164 $3,600,000 165 $4,500,000 166 $5,900,000 167 $6,300,000 168 $6,895,000 169 $9,000,000
Cost, revenue and cash flow of a liquor store
The average price-to-cash flow (P/CF) ratio of a liquor store business is 4.29. The P/CF ratio measures how much cash a company generates relative to its price. You might've heard of the term price-to-earning ratio (P/E ratio) before, which is a more commonly known ratio. Essentially, this measures how much you are paying for each dollar of the company's earnings.
The average operating cash flow margin of a liquor store business is 0.17. The operating cash flow margin can be calculated by dividing operating cash flow by revenue. The operating cash flow margin reveals how effectively a company converts its sales to cash.
The average price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of a liquor store business is 135%. The P/S ratio measures the revenue of the business divided by the cost, which indicates the percentage of the revenue you are paying for the company. Typically the lower the percentage, the better. However, it's best to look at a company's P/S ratio in comparison to the P/S ratios of similar companies in the same industry.
Chart: Cost, revenue, and cash flow breakdown of the lowest priced liquor stores currently listed for sale
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Liquor store Cost Revenue Cost flow 1 $75,000 $265,000 $32,250 2 $85,000 $750,000 $175,000 3 $89,900 $1,265,823 $49,130 4 $99,575 $398,438 $46,125 5 $100,000 $750,000 $75,000 6 $100,000 $156,623 $46,777 7 $100,000 $854,770 $144,429 8 $100,000 $3,238,415 $687,308 9 $110,000 $375,000 $70,000 10 $120,000 $436,800 $84,000
Chart: Cost, revenue, and cash flow breakdown of the highest priced liquor stores currently listed for sale
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Liquor store Cost Revenue Cost flow 1 $9,000,000 $12,433,869 $1,265,000 2 $6,895,000 $4,100,000 $1,400,000 3 $6,300,000 $5,360,412 $939,067 4 $5,900,000 $5,360,412 $939,067 5 $4,500,000 $842,459 $165,000 6 $3,600,000 $5,600,000 $715,000 7 $3,500,000 $750,000 $175,000 8 $3,400,000 $2,360,137 $484,755 9 $3,400,000 $600,000 $73,853 10 $3,300,000 $6,370,472 $387,926
Steps to buying a liquor store
Buying this type of business involves finding one for sale, running the numbers and getting the right financing.
1. Search business listings
Start your search by Googling "liquor stores for sale near me." This brings up a list of business or broker websites with this type of business for sale in your area. From there, you can search listings and contact the seller or agent to get more information. Loopnet.com, Bizbuysell.com and us.businessesforsale.com are also good places to start your search.
2. Determine what the business is worth
Determining what a business is worth is both an art and a science. While this is by no means a complete list of the valuation methods available, you can get a general idea of the fair market value of a business with these calculations.
- Times revenue method. This is calculated by taking the revenue generated by a business over a certain period times a multiplier. The multiplier depends on the industry. For example, a retail company may be valued at 2.45x revenue, while a restaurant may be valued at 2.12x revenue.
- Liquidation value. This value is calculated by adding up everything a business owns, including real estate, equipment and inventory, and then subtracting the company's liabilities and debts. This can give you a rough estimate of what a business is worth, although it doesn't take into account future earnings.
- Discounted cash flow method. This calculation is based on projections of the future cash flows of a business, then discounts them to today based on inflation. It's a complex calculation best determined by using an NPV calculator.
Always consult with a qualified financial advisor if you have questions. In particular, look for a professional with the Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) designation, which means they specialize in business valuation.
3. Do your due diligence
In addition to understanding what a particular business is worth, it's important to take into account the pros and cons before signing on the dotted line.
Here's a list of the top factors to consider:
- Location. The most successful businesses are located in areas with a lot of retail stores and traffic. However, consider the type of customers you foresee frequenting your establishment and their specific needs.
- Equipment. If your business requires special equipment, new equipment is more expensive upfront but can bolster your bottom line with reduced energy costs, less maintenance and more customers through the door.
- Competition. Consider the local competition and what sets your business offering apart.
- Utilities. If your business relies heavily on electricity, gas, water, trash and sewage services, you'll want to analyze the availability of these services and their costs carefully.
- Insurance. This is a must-have for any public-facing business. You'll want to make sure you have sufficient coverage to pay for a range of unforeseen circumstances.
- Maintenance. Who will do the repairs, mop the floors or answer the phone? While this business can be a part-time operation, no business is maintenance-free.
- Security. Depending on the location, your business may require extra security features, like cameras.
As with any large business purchase, be sure to educate yourself thoroughly about buying and running that type of business. Many online resources are available from experts who can offer in-depth guidance for your particular industry.
4. Get financing and make an offer
Business loans come in a wide range of flavors, but the most commonly used types for buying a new business or business assets include SBA loans, like the SBA 7(a), 504 and microloan lending programs, equipment loans or personal loans. These loans are offered by banks, credit unions and online lenders.
Online business loan marketplaces like Lendio, Lendzi and Businessloans.com can also be a good place to start your search. You'll want to compare multiple loan types across several lenders to find the best deal.
How to finance a liquor store
Liquor stores can be financed with these options:
- Personal finances. Cash from savings, an inheritance or from selling another business can be an ideal way to finance your purchase.
- SBA loan programs. The SBA 7(a) loan program could potentially be used to purchase this type of business. To qualify, you need to have a 700+ score, a minimum 20% down payment and financial statements from the business of interest.
- Personal loan. Because they don't have a time-in-business or revenue requirement, personal loans can be another way to finance your purchase, especially if you can get a competitive rate.
- Equipment loan. Equipment loans can sometimes be used to finance this type of business equipment, depending on the business's eligibility. But it may be trickier to get an equipment loan if your business is a mostly cash business or considered a restricted business.
Tip: If you're going for an SBA loan to purchase your business, try to find a preferred SBA lender to help push your application through faster.
Steps to get a loan for a liquor store
Here are the steps to apply for a business loan:
- Check your eligibility. This step involves checking your personal score and determining if you have any collateral to pledge if you choose a secured loan.
- Gather your documentation. These typically include bank statements, tax returns, the business's financial statements and a personal guarantee.
- Complete the application. Fill out the full application, upload documents or link your financial accounts and review the application for accuracy.
- Wait for approval and funding. Next, you need to wait for approval and funding. SBA loans can take weeks to months to process.
Where to buy a liquor store
We've found liquor stores publicly listed for sale in the following states. Updated daily.
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State # of liquor stores for sale Alabama 1 Arizona 6 Arkansas 2 Colorado 3 Connecticut 14 Florida 29 Georgia 5 Idaho 1 Illinois 9 Iowa 1 Maryland 3 Massachusetts 5 Michigan 3 Minnesota 2 Mississippi 6 Missouri 7 Montana 2 New Hampshire 1 New Jersey 65 New York 44 North Carolina 3 Ohio 2 Oklahoma 1 Oregon 1 Pennsylvania 5 South Carolina 5 Texas 20 Wisconsin 1 Wyoming 2
The annual cash flow of the liquor stores range from $17,666 to $1,400,000.
Chart: Cash flow of liquor stores that are currently listed for sale
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Liquor store Annual net cash flow 1 $17,666 2 $23,234 3 $27,131 4 $27,818 5 $31,718 6 $32,250 7 $36,112 8 $36,500 9 $40,143 10 $42,492 11 $44,000 12 $46,125 13 $46,777 14 $47,592 15 $49,130 16 $50,000 17 $50,000 18 $55,426 19 $60,000 20 $60,000 21 $61,326 22 $65,000 23 $70,000 24 $70,000 25 $70,000 26 $71,200 27 $72,000 28 $73,000 29 $73,853 30 $75,000 31 $75,000 32 $75,000 33 $75,000 34 $75,000 35 $75,000 36 $75,422 37 $80,000 38 $80,000 39 $81,298 40 $82,000 41 $84,000 42 $84,000 43 $84,000 44 $84,075 45 $85,000 46 $85,057 47 $89,628 48 $90,000 49 $90,657 50 $91,636 51 $95,000 52 $96,000 53 $98,250 54 $99,436 55 $99,756 56 $100,000 57 $100,000 58 $100,000 59 $101,383 60 $105,000 61 $110,000 62 $110,000 63 $115,000 64 $115,000 65 $115,836 66 $120,000 67 $120,000 68 $120,336 69 $122,712 70 $125,000 71 $125,000 72 $125,733 73 $129,275 74 $130,000 75 $130,000 76 $130,000 77 $132,000 78 $134,400 79 $135,000 80 $135,147 81 $136,920 82 $139,820 83 $140,000 84 $140,000 85 $144,429 86 $145,000 87 $145,000 88 $150,000 89 $150,000 90 $150,000 91 $150,000 92 $150,000 93 $156,000 94 $156,000 95 $160,000 96 $160,560 97 $162,791 98 $165,000 99 $172,000 100 $174,802 101 $175,000 102 $175,000 103 $175,000 104 $175,000 105 $175,000 106 $175,000 107 $182,000 108 $185,000 109 $185,000 110 $188,045 111 $190,000 112 $192,000 113 $194,164 114 $200,000 115 $200,000 116 $200,000 117 $200,000 118 $200,254 119 $205,000 120 $205,097 121 $208,000 122 $213,510 123 $218,455 124 $225,000 125 $230,000 126 $230,700 127 $232,412 128 $232,486 129 $241,402 130 $250,000 131 $250,000 132 $250,000 133 $250,000 134 $250,000 135 $250,000 136 $253,000 137 $255,000 138 $260,000 139 $274,571 140 $276,000 141 $277,287 142 $300,000 143 $331,635 144 $334,740 145 $340,000 146 $351,155 147 $353,120 148 $355,000 149 $359,259 150 $360,186 151 $375,000 152 $375,000 153 $387,926 154 $444,000 155 $484,755 156 $500,000 157 $500,000 158 $570,000 159 $578,881 160 $635,000 161 $687,308 162 $715,000 163 $939,067 164 $939,067 165 $1,000,000 166 $1,000,000 167 $1,180,000 168 $1,265,000 169 $1,400,000
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Kat Aoki was a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in consumer and business lending. She’s written thousands of articles to help consumers make better decisions on their home loans, bank accounts, credit cards, cryptocurrency and more. Kat is well versed in working with leading brands in the real estate, mortgage and personal finance industries, and her expertise has been featured on Forbes Advisor, Lifewire and financial comparison sites like iSelect and realestate.com.au. She holds a BS in business administration from California State University, Sacramento and enjoys hiking and yoga in her spare time. See full bio
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