Faced with a drop in sales, Nova Scotia's convenience store owners are renewing their call to be allowed to sell wine and beer.

Sid Chedrawe, chairman of the Independent Food Stores Association, said small, family-run stores are selling fewer groceries, cigarettes and other core products as larger chain stores carve out a bigger share of the marketplace.

If government wants to help these small businesses, he said, it should permit them to sell booze.

"Liquor is probably one of the last few items we can hang our hat on and try to make a go of our business. Over the last number of years, the independent retailer has seen [its] share of the market squeezed out by large corporate stores," Chedrawe said.

Small retailers are responsible people, he said, citing tobacco as an example.

"Many people have portrayed the small, independent retailer as a radical who is willing to sell cigarettes to anybody. Well, we have shown this to be not true. The number of retailers that have been charged [for selling to minors] is dwindling every year because the retailers are abiding by the law. And the government recognizes that."

Convenience store operators have unsuccessfully lobbied the government before for permission to sell wine and beer.

Government regulators are not commenting on Chedrawe's suggestion.