Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers: SBA business acquisition loan data
1,736 SBA 7(a) loans since FY2018 financed the purchase of an existing business classified as Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (NAICS 445320), totaling $1.7B. Median loan $650,000, in line with the all-acquisition median. Annual volume rose 16% from FY2024 to FY2026.
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The median SBA loan to buy liquor stores was $650,000 across 1,736 acquisition loans (FY2018 to FY2026), in line with the $645,250 median for all SBA-financed acquisitions. Hanmi Bank, Open Bank and Metro City Bank made the most of them. Of 785 seasoned loans (FY2018 to FY2021), 1.4% were charged off, 60% lower than the 3.5% average for all SBA acquisition loans.
Reading this industry's numbers
- Deal size. The loan excludes the buyer's equity and any seller note and may include working capital. A loan request far above $1,166,250 would be in the top quarter of SBA acquisition loans in this industry.
- Share of all acquisitions. This industry is 3.5% of all SBA-financed business purchases, ranking #4 of 300 industries tracked.
- Geography. California leads with 399 loans; the top five states account for 59% of the industry's acquisitions.
- Jobs. Lenders reported 8,903 jobs supported across these loans, about 5.1 per acquisition, a rough proxy for the size of business changing hands.
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers acquisitions by year
| Fiscal year | Loans | Total approved | Median loan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 168 | $121M | $461,500 | |
| FY2019 | 193 | $155M | $552,500 | |
| FY2020 | 180 | $165M | $557,500 | |
| FY2021 | 244 | $260M | $700,000 | |
| FY2022 | 131 | $157M | $861,000 | |
| FY2023 | 177 | $180M | $601,000 | |
| FY2024 | 183 | $164M | $650,000 | |
| FY2025 | 247 | $256M | $771,000 | |
| FY2026 | 213 | $223M | $750,000 |
How often do these acquisition loans fail?
Of the 785 Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers acquisition loans approved from FY2018 to FY2021 (the seasoned cohort, every loan at least about five years old), 11 have been charged off by the SBA, a rate of 1.4% by loan count and 0.7% by dollars. 424 have already been paid in full.
For comparison, the charge-off rate across all SBA 7(a) acquisition loans in the same cohort is 3.5%, so Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers is 60% lower than the acquisition-loan average. Non-acquisition 7(a) loans (every other stated purpose) approved FY2018 to FY2021 charged off at 6.2%.
"Charged off" is the SBA's final loss action on a defaulted loan after collection efforts. It lags default by a year or more, which is why only older cohorts are measured. It is not the same as a delinquency rate, and loans still outstanding can still fail. See charge-off in the glossary.
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Top states
| # | State | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 399 | 23.0% | $269M | |
| 2 | Colorado | 306 | 17.6% | $243M | |
| 3 | Georgia | 120 | 6.9% | $335M | |
| 4 | New York | 108 | 6.2% | $92.6M | |
| 5 | Michigan | 99 | 5.7% | $94.6M | |
| 6 | New Jersey | 92 | 5.3% | $122M | |
| 7 | Texas | 70 | 4.0% | $85.2M | |
| 8 | Maryland | 62 | 3.6% | $57.7M | |
| 9 | Illinois | 60 | 3.5% | $63.3M | |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 51 | 2.9% | $37.9M |
Most active lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hanmi Bank | 328 | 18.9% | $269M | |
| 2 | Open Bank | 104 | 6.0% | $96.1M | |
| 3 | Metro City Bank | 78 | 4.5% | $261M | |
| 4 | Commonwealth Business Bank | 52 | 3.0% | $39.1M | |
| 5 | PCB Bank | 51 | 2.9% | $41.2M | |
| 6 | American Continental Bank | 50 | 2.9% | $33.4M | |
| 7 | Bank of Hope | 49 | 2.8% | $26.4M | |
| 8 | Byline Bank | 46 | 2.6% | $62.9M | |
| 9 | Provident Bank | 43 | 2.5% | $40.5M | |
| 10 | The Huntington National Bank | 39 | 2.2% | $23.1M |
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Franchise brands in Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers
1% of acquisition loans in this industry involved a franchised unit. Brands with the most SBA-financed resales:
| # | Brand | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MGM Wine & Spirits | 5 | 33.3% | $3.4M | |
| 2 | The UPS Store | 1 | 6.7% | $518K |
Questions buyers ask
How much is a typical SBA loan to buy a business in Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers?
Median $650,000 across 1,736 acquisition loans (FY2018 to FY2026); the middle half ran $370,875 to $1,166,250. That is in line with the $645,250 median for all SBA-financed acquisitions.
Which lenders finance the most Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers acquisitions?
Hanmi Bank (328), Open Bank (104), Metro City Bank (78), Commonwealth Business Bank (52), PCB Bank (51).
Are businesses in Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers often franchised?
Rarely. Only 1% of acquisition loans in this industry involved a franchised business; most are independent operators.
How risky are SBA loans for buying a business in Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers?
Of 785 seasoned loans (FY2018 to FY2021), 1.4% charged off, 60% lower than the 3.5% benchmark for all SBA acquisition loans.
What loan terms are common for Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers acquisitions?
Median term 10 years, average initial rate 7.66% at approval (blended across years and fixed/variable structures). Terms longer than 10 years usually indicate real estate was included in the purchase.
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