GEORGIA · NAICS NAICS 445310, 445320
Georgia liquor store acquisitions turn on license value, goodwill, and trade-area demand, with state license transfer timing built into the closing schedule. Studies translate product mix, basket size, and competitive saturation into defensible projections, and the appraisal file resolves intangible value where the deal crosses the goodwill threshold.
FEASIBILITY TRIGGER
License and goodwill value above $250,000 of intangibles triggers the independent going-concern appraisal alongside any study, and Georgia license transfer timing enters the closing schedule.
SBA 7(a) and 504 lenders funded 600 liquor store projects across Georgia between FY2010 and FY2026, moving $1.03 billion in approved capital at an average ticket of $1.7 million. That volume places Georgia at #4 of 38 states measured for liquor store SBA activity, or 18.7% of national liquor store dollars. The 7(a) program carried 95.0% of the loan count, with 504 taking the balance, and 86 approvals have hit the pipeline since FY2024.
| Disbursed loans (FY2010–FY2026) | 600 |
| Approved volume | $1.03 billion |
| Average loan size | $1.7 million |
| 7(a) share | 95.0% |
| Approvals since FY2024 | 86 |
| State rank by loan count | #4 of 38 |
Among the 431 seasoned loans in this segment (approvals FY2010–FY2021), 3.5% reached adverse resolution — purchased, liquidated, or charged off. The national benchmark for liquor store is 4.4%, against 7.3% across all industries. That performance runs below the national benchmark for this asset class, a credit-positive signal for lenders.
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan-level data, as of March 31, 2026. Disbursed loans only. See data methodology.
A 3.5% adverse-resolution rate below the national liquor store benchmark of 4.4% supports the credit story for well-underwritten Georgia projects in this class. Across 600 SBA loans averaging $1.7 million, that track record does not eliminate the need for a third-party feasibility study, but it means a rigorous study reinforces rather than defends the projections.
Every Georgia liquor stores project we underwrite follows the same lender ready process: independent market analysis, site and technical review, and financial projections tested against SBA SOP 50 10 8 standards. Our SBA feasibility study consultants guide explains scope, timing, deliverables, and what lenders and CDCs expect in the report.
Georgia projects most often fit SBA 504 where owner-occupied real estate anchors the deal, with the 50/40/10 structure delivering up to 90 percent financing at a fixed debenture rate. SBA 7(a) covers acquisitions, working capital, and equipment, and from July 4, 2026 eligible borrowers can combine 7(a) and 504 for up to $10 million in total program credit.
Georgia license transfer timing and dense metro trade areas shape the state's liquor store acquisition workflow.
For a national view of this asset class, see our liquor store SBA feasibility overview, and read our related analysis in the liquor store lending research on our blog.
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