(NC) — Many things have changed since October 26, 1927. One that hasn't is where Ontario consumers go to buy their beer – The Beer Store. A fixture in Ontario communities for over four generations, The Beer Store is celebrating its 85th birthday. On this milestone, it is joining with customers to celebrate the accomplishments and reminisce about all that's changed. “For over eight decades – through wars, depressions, recessions, Y2K and even disco – we've been there, serving our customers their favourite brew through good times and bad,” says Ted Moroz, the president of The Beer Store. “Today, we're as strong as ever and continually looking at ways to change and meet the demands of the industry and our customers.” The residents of Ontario have come a long way from the days when a case of beer cost less than $3; when the windows had to be painted black (so children couldn't see inside the stores); and when only Ontario-brewed beer was sold and customers needed to purchase a permit to buy beer. Today, The Beer Store is open on Sundays, offers over 340 brands of beer from over 90 brewers from around the world, all new stores are in a self-serve format and you can connect on Twitter or Facebook. Some things have remained constant – like the world-leading deposit return system for beer empties (their recent stewardship report is available at www.thebeerstore.ca) as well as the spirit of giving back to the community. “We're located in most Ontario communities and we're a part of those communities,” adds Moroz. “Whether it's our annual bottle drive that raises over $1.5 million annually for leukemia or for more local organizations, like the Royal Canadian Legion or Roger's House, we've made social responsibility a cornerstone of our business.” Since 2007, The Beer Store also takes back wine and spirit containers. So, the next time you're kicking back with your brew of choice, take a moment to reflect on where we've been and how far we've come...and say cheers to 85 years!www.newscanada.com