It's going to be dry on Sundays at area state stores for at least the next two years.

There is virtually no chance the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board will pick an area store for a trial two-year Sunday sales program, an agency spokeswoman said Friday.

Under the measure passed by the Legislature and signed on Monday by Gov. Mark S. Schweiker, as many as 63 stores --- 10 percent of the total --- are allowed to open on Sundays.

Tuesday, the LCB released a list of 60 stores the agency picked to be open on Sundays. No stores in Mercer, Lawrence, Beaver, Crawford or Venango counties were chosen. The closest are in Pittsburgh, Erie and Cranberry Township, Butler County.

In Pennsylvania, liquor and most wine sales are controlled by the state through its liquor stores.

State Rep. Michael C. Gruitza, D-7th District, which covers all of the Shenango Valley, had held out hope that since the law allowed for up to 63 stores, the agency still might chose the Hermitage store.

But those three slots have already been set aside for future super liquor stores the agency expects to build, said Donna Pinkham, an LCB spokeswoman. Super stores are large stores stocked with a wide range of specialty items that can't be bought at regular stores.

"We have some super stores expected to come on line in the next couple of years and we want to save some of those (Sunday sales slots) for them,'' Ms. Pinkham said. "While they (the three slots) haven't been designated yet, they will be.''

Stores chosen for Sunday sales were picked because of their large sales history, proximity and border considerations, she said.

"These are the best possible stores for the two-year trial. Barring any unforeseen circumstance, these will be the stores,'' she said.