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The publicly owned corporation grew out of early twentieth century prohibitionist thinking and were designed to allow the government to more closely limit alcohol sales. For many years the stores remained deliberately uninviting with customers forced to apply in paper for what they wanted and having it then fetched by a staff member after the customer age was carefully checked.
In the 1980s the stores changed to become far more open and inviting with decorative displays of alcohol. Today the LCBO is known for good customer service and a wide selection. The company is also very profitable for the provincial government.
There is often discussion about whether the province should sell the LCBO. The main benefit would be the billions of dollars that would be the immediate windfall from any sale. The long term revenues would be lost, however. The LCBO today makes about a billion dollars per year, a sale is estimated to reap about six billion dollars. The main benefits to the consumer, as seen by comparisons with other provinces, are more stores and longer hours. The disadvantages would be reduced selection and perhaps higher prices. A privatized system would also employ more staff, but at far lower wages. The employees would also no longer be expected to have a great expertise in all things alcoholic. Liquor store robberies, all but unheard of in Ontario, also are more common under a laxer private system, as is the selling of alcohol to minors.