Coloradans, in a series of surprise results Tuesday, overwhelmingly rejected one measure that would have allowed liquor stores the ability to operate unlimited locations. In another, citizens seem to have shot down a vote that would have permitted third-party companies like Instacart to deliver alcohol to your home. And a third vote — allowing wine to be sold at grocery and convenience stores — is trailing in a vote that’s still too close to call.

Polling before the election showed voters overwhelmingly supported both the wine measure (Proposition 125) and the delivery referendum (Proposition 126). And the big businesses supporting their passage — such as the conglomerates behind King Soopers, Safeway and DoorDash — had outspent the local retailers by a 47-to-1 margin.

“This really was a David vs. Goliath effort,” said Chris Fine, executive director of the Colorado Licensed Beverage Association, which opposed all three propositions. “Colorado voters saw through some of the convenience pieces and said, ‘convenience at what cost?’”

Owners of independent liquor stores like Joy feared what the measures might do to their bottom lines — if they didn’t run them out of business altogether.

After a 2019 law change allowed grocery stores to sell full-strength beer, most small liquor stores in the Colorado Licensed Beverage Association saw at least a 30% drop in sales, Fine said.

Read more on DenverPost.com.