Costco looks to sell beer and wine at Cranberry store — a 1st in Pa.

Costco wants to break into the beer and wine business in Pennsylvania, starting with its Cranberry location.

The bulk goods retailer has a pending application with the Pa. Liquor Control Board that, if successful, would enable it to sell limited amounts of alcohol.

In states and stores where allowed, Costco carries beer and wine sourced from other producers but labeled under its Kirkland Signature brand.

A few of its alcoholic offerings have even earned awards and social media buzz for their high quality relative to price. On the flip side, a discontinued Kirkland light beer has gone down among customers as the “worst in the world.”

Forbes estimates the members-only wholesale club had between $6.5 billion and $7 billion in global alcohol sales in 2023.

Costco is seeking a coveted restaurant-type permit for its store at 1050 Cranberry Square Drive, similar to ones held by dozens of gas stations and groceries in Southwestern Pennsylvania as well as most bars.

The restaurant permit enables the sale of up 192 fluid ounces of beer — about 16 regular cans — and up to four standard bottles of wine in a single to-go transaction.

License holders may also serve beer and wine as well as liquor for on-site consumption. As a condition of the permit, businesses must sell food and offer seating for at least 30 people.

Gas stations and grocers tend to meet the seating requirement by building small, if sparsely used cafes.

A restaurant license goes for about $525,000 in Butler County, according to the PA Liquor License Co., a consulting firm that helps business get permits to sell and serve alcohol.

That’s good for the third highest price in the state, and is more than four times what it costs to get a permit in Allegheny County.

The license sought by Costco was previously held by Houlihans, a struggling fast-casual restaurant chain that abruptly closed its Cranberry location in 2023.

Costco did not immediately respond to a TribLive request for comment.