(NewsChannel9) - The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission announced on Monday that in less than a week, it has delivered retail food store licenses to over 50% of grocery stores in the state applying to sell wine by July 1st.

With less than two weeks to go, the ABC has also issued conditional "letters of approval" to nearly 80% of grocery store applicants. Stores holding a conditional "letter of approval" are authorized to accept delivery and stock wine. Grocery stores without a letter of approval are either missing required documentation or were submitted closer to the upcoming rollout.

State lawmakers and industry representatives in previous weeks had expressed concern over the rollout of wine in grocery stores given the unexpected departure of the previous Executive Director just three months before the new law takes effect.

However, as of last week, the ABC says it had received 499 applications, sent 398 letters of approval, and delivered 279 retail food store licenses. In other words, 70% of grocery stores holding a letter of approval have received a license in hand as of today, which is issued, effective, and post-dated to the date of July 1st. These stores will be authorized to sell wine effective 8:00 a.m. on July 1st. The ABC expects to deliver additional licenses to the remaining qualified stores in the next two weeks.