Soon enough, shoppers in central Pennsylvania might be able to purchase wine, beer and groceries under one roof. Or, at least check everything off their errand list in one car trip.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board wants to make life more convenient for shoppers by moving some of its stores next to supermarkets and teaming up with grocery stores where beer is sold.

Dubbed “Convenience 2020,” it’s an eight-year initiative, and it found its origin in an unusual source. It emerged during the legislative hearings held earlier this year on a proposal by state House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, to privatize the state’s wine and liquor sales.

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“What took them so long?” asked Jim Honafius of Lower Allen Twp. He said the idea about separate cash register lines is stupid but the concept of one-stop shopping is appealing.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Turzai recently told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review the new initiative doesn’t quite measure up to his vision of what liquor sales should be in the state. “Try as they will, they can’t, unfortunately, and won’t ever be anywhere near as good as the private sector,” said Steve Miskin, Turzai’s spokesman.

The LCB's push comes as efforts to privatize the state's liquor system have quieted down. However, there are rumblings around the Capitol that Turzai is attempting to resurrect legislation this fall.

But with only a limited number of days left for lawmakers to meet, it’s uncertain at best if liquor store privatization will get done this year.

In the meantime, the Senate is eying a bill that would allow thousands of taverns and restaurants licensed to sell glasses of wine or spirits to buy a special license to sell those products by the bottle. But the Senate bill would leave the 620 state stores open and preserve LCB.