Metropolitan Package Store Association

What Metropolitan Package Store Association does

Metropolitan Package Store Association (Metro) is a New York-based 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1934, immediately after the end of national Prohibition, to represent the political and business interests of independent liquor store retailers in New York State. It serves more than 3,500 member package stores, primarily family-owned SMBs operating off-premise wine and spirits retail, and operates as the principal industry voice in Albany on issues affecting the three-tier system, public convenience licensing, and opposition to wine-in-grocery-store (WIGS) legislation.

Metro's core offerings are membership services rather than software products: annual retailer membership at $395/year, associate memberships for industry supporters, and a member-funded Political Action Fund (PAF) accepting voluntary contributions of up to $5,000 per store per calendar year. Its primary functional product is legislative advocacy delivered through lobbyist Steve Malito at Davidoff, Hutcher & Citron, supplemented by resources such as the NYS Liquor Authority Retailer's Handbook, SLA Quick Reference Guide, SLA board meeting webcast access, and a license-status lookup tool.

The association's underlying technology stack is minimal: member registration, dues renewal, PAF donations, and event signups run on the YourMembership.com association management platform, with no proprietary technology, APIs, or AI/ML components. Revenue mechanics are subscription-dues-driven with donation layering, and growth is constrained by the size of the NY independent package store universe rather than by addressable market expansion. The organization is governed by a board of liquor store owners, with Michael A. Correra serving as Executive Director since 2008 and Margaret Vandervort as Administrator since 2009.

Name

Metropolitan Package Store Association

Legal name

Metropolitan Package Store Association

Website

https://metropsa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Metropolitan Package Store Association is a New York-based 501(c)(6) trade association representing more than 3,500 independent liquor store retailers through legislative advocacy, lobbyist representation, and a member-funded Political Action Fund.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Albany

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Retailer Membership Dues: Stores pay $395 per year for general membership dues. Memberships must be renewed annually to remain in good standing. This is the primary recurring revenue stream for the association.
2. Political Action Fund (PAF) Donations: Member stores can donate up to $5,000 per calendar year to the Political Action Fund. The PAF supports Governor Hochul and legislative allies in the NYS Senate and Assembly. Contributions can be one-time or recurring monthly donations.
3. Associate Memberships: Associate memberships are available for retailers elevating their dues level above general dues and for industry supporters. These are voluntary donations at suggested levels to support strong, effective industry representation.
4. Annual Dinner Donations: Metro hosts an annual dinner bringing together wholesaler, supplier, and retailer executives. Donations support the event and enhance involvement within the three tiers of the alcohol distribution system.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Metro is a 501(c)(6) trade association that delivers paid annual membership ($395/year) to independent liquor store retailers across New York State, bundled with legislative lobbying, a member-funded Political Action Fund, and programs connecting members to NY wineries, distilleries, and cideries. It does not sell any software, technology product, or physical good; its core deliverables are advocacy services, member benefits, and access to a 3,500+ retailer network.

Product overview

The Metropolitan Package Store Association (Metro) is a 501(c)(6) trade association representing independent liquor store owners across New York State. Rather than a unified software product, the organization offers a portfolio of member services including annual membership ($395/year for retailers), a member-funded Political Action Fund (PAF) supporting legislative advocacy, and lobbying representation through Steve Malito at Davidoff, Hutcher & Citron. The association also provides resources including the NYS Liquor Authority Retailer's Handbook, SLA Quick Reference Guide, and access to board meeting webcasts. Through its NY Products Support Program, Metro facilitates connections between member retailers and New York's wineries, distilleries, and cideries, promoting local craft beverages in member stores. The organization does not offer a technology product, API, or software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retailer Membership (Metro Annual Membership) Annual membership for liquor store retailers ($395/year) granting access to Metro's legislative advocacy, member benefits, retailer resources, and the 3,500+ retailer network across New York State. Retailers may pay online via credit card or mail a check to Metro's Albany office and must renew annually to remain in good standing.
• Political Action Fund (PAF) Member-funded political action committee that accepts voluntary contributions from member stores (minimum $25, maximum $5,000 per calendar year) to support Governor Kathy Hochul and allied legislators in the NYS Senate and Assembly. Contributions may be one-time or recurring monthly donations.
• Legislative Advocacy / Lobbying Lobbying and representation in Albany for Metro members, delivered through lobbyist Steve Malito of Davidoff, Hutcher & Citron. Includes ongoing monitoring of legislative bill introductions, rapid response to legislative initiatives, and advocacy to protect the three-tier system and public convenience and advantage licensing statutes.
• NY Products Support Program Program coordinating connections between member retailers and New York's wineries, distilleries, and cideries, including participation in promotions such as TasteNY, Craft Beverage Week, and regional craft beverage trails across all regions of New York State.
• Associate Membership Voluntary associate membership tier for retailers who wish to elevate their dues above the general $395 level and for industry supporters (wholesalers, suppliers, partners) who wish to support Metro's mission and gain access to the retailer network. Donation levels are suggested but flexible.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• American Beverage Licensees (ABL)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMetro joined ABL as an Affiliate Member in 2024, strengthening the national voice of independent beverage alcohol retailers. The partnership connects Metro's NYC-area package store owners with ABL's national resources, policy expertise, and industry connections, while providing ABL deeper insight into the NY market challenges and opportunities.
• NY Distillers GuildcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NY Distillers Guild represents producers of craft spirits and provides information on regional producers, craft beverage trails, and distilling history. Metro partners with Guild members to provide tastings and promotions of products in member stores and at events.
• New York Wine and Grape FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Foundation's mission is to promote NY grapes and wines from diverse regions to benefit farmers, producers, and consumers through innovative marketing, research, communication, and advocacy. Metro works with the Foundation to support NY wineries and promote NY products in package stores.
• Taste NYmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMetro participates in Taste NY promotions to support New York's local wineries, cideries, and distilleries. Taste NY is a state initiative promoting local craft beverages and agricultural products.
• Davidoff, Hutcher & Citron (DHC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDHC is the law firm where Metro's lobbyist Steve Malito serves as Chair of the New York State Government Relations group. The firm focuses on all aspects of state government relations and has been instrumental in passage of significant state legislation.
• Butler AssociatesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPR firm handling media inquiries. Contact: Thomas Butler at [email protected] or (646)-213-1802, Christian Agredo at [email protected] or (646)-213-0286.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS): NACS represents convenience retailers and has historically been active on alcohol-sales regulation, including expansion of wine and beer sales in non-traditional outlets — making it both a comparable retail trade association and a frequent counterparty in the WIGS-style debates Metro opposes.
• National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA): NABCA is the association of state alcohol beverage control agencies; it is structurally adjacent to Metro, sharing the regulatory-defense mission around the three-tier system and public-convenience licensing, though it serves control-state governments rather than private retailers.
• Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS): DISCUS is the national trade association for distilled spirits producers and importers; it is a broadly comparable alcohol-industry advocacy organization with a similar lobbying and regulatory defense playbook, but represents the supplier tier.
• Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA): WSWA represents the wholesale tier of the three-tier system; it operates as a larger, nationally focused trade association that shares Metro's defensive posture on three-tier and alcohol regulation but serves wholesalers rather than retailers.
• Beer Wholesalers Association: The Beer Wholesalers Association represents the beer wholesale tier of the three-tier system; it is a comparable alcohol-industry trade association with similar advocacy, lobbying, and PAC-based political engagement.

Regional players

• New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA): NYSRA is a NY-based hospitality trade association; it operates the same New York-focused state-level advocacy model as Metro, but for on-premise restaurants rather than off-premise package stores — a useful structural parallel for member dues, Albany lobbying, and member benefits.

Direct peers

• American Beverage Licensees (ABL): ABL is the national trade association representing off-premise alcohol beverage retailers — the closest functional peer to Metro at the national level, and in fact Metro's own ABL Affiliate Member partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/metropsa_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Metropolitan Package Store Association