THE NEW YORK TIMES:
The conservative Islamic kingdom’s approach to social policy change is often silence and ambiguity. Legalizing alcohol has been no different.
Saudi Arabia has banned alcohol for more than 70 years, so when whispers spread that an unmarked store in Riyadh, the capital, was quietly selling whiskey and champagne to wealthy foreign residents, it did not take long for a queue of cars to form outside.
In recent weeks, the liquor store — previously open only to diplomats, who are exempt from the prohibition — has been selling to non-Muslim foreigners who hold an expensive “premium residency” permit, according to five customers interviewed by The New York Times.
Premium residency is a
limited status, generally conferred on wealthy or highly educated foreigners who work for government-owned entities, or in strategic sectors like health care.
The customers, a mix of premium residents and diplomats, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of local sensitivities around the topic, and in some cases because they feared disrupting their newfound access to alcohol.
No public announcement has been made about a change in the conservative Islamic kingdom’s alcohol policy. But on a sunny morning this past week, I camped outside the Riyadh store and saw that business was brisk.
The beige complex containing the store resembled dozens of others in the city’s Diplomatic Quarter, a secluded neighborhood filled with embassies. The store was distinguished only by an enigmatic sign that read, “VAT EXEMPT GOODS FOR DIPLOMATS ONLY,” referring to value-added tax, which is similar to a sales tax.
A succession of high-end SUVs approached a metal gate, where a security guard peered at drivers’ IDs, deciding if they could pass.
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Vivian Nereim | Vivian Nereim reported from outside the only liquor store in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. | Saturday, December 6, 2025
