However, unlike many states, if you plan to sell beer, wine, and liquor, you must apply for a quota license. Florida offers only a limited number of active liquor licenses. The number of available licenses is based on the population in a given county.

Quota licenses are awarded through a lottery run once a year. If you plan only to sell beer or wine, there is no limit to the number of licenses.


Maybe this is one of the issues holding Harry and the Natives back ?

I can’t say this as fact but maybe it was better wine. You can buy wine for $10/bottle, or you can buy wine for $20 / bottle, or $40/bottle.

We very much enjoy an occasional visit to Edna’s. In our opinion, Edna’s and the paths that we can ride bikes on without golf carts are easily the two best things about the newer southern areas of the Villages.

Entertainment not all day, usually 3:00-6:00 or 4:00-7:00.

Can’t help but notice that the posters who don’t think the prices are bad, are the newbies.

The older posters recall when this was a retirement community & prices were 1/2 that or less and the vendors still made a profit. And no, it wasn’t that long ago…

The new kids are driving up the prices. I suspect it is because they may still be working?

Many people here are only after "food", not an experience. Just chew and go. One would think that savings would keep them home, but that would involve a bit of effort.

nof course you sat there and listened to the "free music". Nothing is free. If you want cheap then just eat and drink at home.

Not allowed.

Edna's is one of our favorite places and evolved into a huge success.

Good food, great staff, nice selection of wines in a beautiful setting with scheduled entertainment.

The wine and beer schools are excellent.

Florida law prohibits bringing your own alcoholic beverages into licensed establishments.

People who do so risks the establishment losing their license. Customers should discretly let management know when seeing someone violating the policy so they don't lose their license.

Disagree. The squares are not a private business like Edna's. If Edna's doesn't turn a profit, Edna's closes shop. The squares aren't going anywhere.

If you are going to patronize a public business, you should buy something to keep them providing that "free" music.

If you think the prices are too high, that's fine, stay home and listen to music from your phone on your lanai with your inexpensive (relatively) beverage.

And you know this how?

You may have missed it, but inflation was out of control from Covid to the end of 2024. Maybe that's why you perceive prices being "driven up"? Pretty sure the "new kids" aren't to blame.

Just for accuracy, inflation began dropping at the end of 2022 and has been fairly flat for the last year.

It's cheaper by the bottle!

And a quota license in FL can cost up to a million $$$. They won't easily make that back with people whining about $9 wine.

Yes, it did start dropping, but it had remained around 50% higher than the previous 5 years. And that nastiness compounds. So I'm still pretty sure it's inflation rather than newbies who are still working that has forced drink prices higher.