A Durango Police Department campaign to stop liquor stores from selling miniature liquor bottles appears to have fallen by the wayside.

In the spring of 2023, the Durango Police Department had been trying to collaborate with liquor store owners in order to cease the sale of the mini liquor bottles, commonly referred to as “shooter-sized,” in an attempt to reduce litter, public intoxication and drunken driving.

The 100-milliliter bottles are often seen littered along the Animas River Trail and other bike paths in town.

A general lack of buy-in from liquor store owners appears to have stopped the initiative before it ever began. Star Liquors was the lone store to stop selling the shooters in March 2023.

“We tried a year ago but I don't know that we got anywhere,” said DPD Cmdr. Nick Stasi.

Last year, Star Liquors estimated giving up mini liquor bottles would come at a cost of about $76,000 per year in sales, but General Manager Mike Vermette said it was an opportunity to help the community. At the time

Vermette was unavailable for follow up comment Monday.

Wagon Wheel owner James Dempsey told The Durango Herald in March 2023, that the loss of mini bottles would be a “sizable financial hit.”

In a year when grocery stores were able to start selling wine, it was imperative for Dempsey to continue selling the mini liquor bottles, he said last week.

“I am confident it’s the same or more than the previous year,” he said. “Had we not kept selling them with wine being sold in the grocery stores we would be out of business completely. We lost $300,000 in 2023 due to wine being sold in the grocery stores.”

tbrown@durangoherald.com