8/12/2019 Past SC Wholesalers Association President Supports The Stone Bill

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From: Susan Pearlstine Date: May 26, 2014 at 1:44:06 PM EDT To: Rep Todd Rutherford Cc: Edwin Pearlstine, John Planty, Larry LipovSubject: From Susan Pearlstine... Charleston, SC

Dear Rep. Rutherford-

I will be coming to Columbia tomorrow along with my father, Edwin Pearlstine and my brother-in-law who you probably met when I campaigned for the MUSC seat, Larry Lipov, to supportH3512 The Stone brewpub bill.

No one can speak more articulately about this bill and its detractors than my father as he hasbeen a past President of the SC Beer Wholesalers Association and IN FACT he wasresponsible for helping write the SC 3-Tier language. My family was the largest SC Distributorof Anheuser-Busch beers until January, 2013.

When we sold Pearlstine Distributors we recognized an opportunity to expand a brewery partnerof ours for almost 20 years, Palmetto Brewery. Palmetto was the rst Craft brewery to open inSC but with the investment that we have poured into the facilities more jobs have been createdand sales and tax collections have increased. The General Manager, John Planty, will also bein the state capital with us tomorrow and I look forward to you meeting him too.

The H-3512 language to allow us to open a Brewpub will create an environment of excitementand opportunity opening the door for us to participate with other SC Breweries for a much larger,statewide economic impact. This is not just about outside investment although we absolutelywelcome Stone Brewery. All over SC in multiple communities South Carolinians have beenhard at work plying money and effort into their Breweries. That is a stark contrast to the worldslargest brewer A-B Inbev who ghts tooth and nail to stop any competition complaining of unfair

competition in SC. Yet they build facilities in state after state but nowhere in this state Ourstate.

I empathize with my past colleagues and distributor members of SCBWA. I well remember thepressure from major suppliers to march lockstep with their demands. We urge you to continueto consider and also to support the bill before you. It would not have come this far in thisrelatively short amount of time if it was bad legislation or bad business.

Tomorrow I hope the committee members will ask any questions they might have from those ofus who live here, work here, raise families here and as importantly commit ourselves to ongoingpublic service. You only met me briey during my rst Board run but all of my family works andgives tirelessly in our communities. My father has received the Order of the Palmetto and hasserved as Commissioner and Chairmen of both the SC Aeronautics Board and Pension andInvestment Commission for multiple Governors.

In advance I look forward to seeing you again, I thank you for your commitment to our State andplease call if I can answer any questions prior to your Committee meeting.

With kindest regards,

8/12/2019 Past SC Wholesalers Association President Supports The Stone Bill

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Susan

Susan Pearlstine Pearlstine Family Companies Palmetto Brewery 5264-B International Blvd, #220 N. Charleston, SC 29418 843-749-2439 mobile