Jedidiah Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Restaurants

Recession Means Cheaper Booze in North Carolina

Sue Stock over at the N&O is reporting that starting this past Saturday, August 1st, prices on booze at North Carolina ABC stores have been dropped to a three year low. Maybe next, they’ll actually wake up and realize that they could make more money by being open on Sunday too. Seriously.

The reason for the cuts: the economy, of course.

A few examples: Grey Goose vodka will drop from $71.95 to $59.95. The cost of a fifth of Absolut vodka will drop from $21.95 to $19.95. And a half gallon of Glenmorangie scotch is slated to sell for $89.95 instead of $99.95.

News & Observer

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  • Lisa Jeffries08/04 08:02 PM

    Yet as a friend pointed out to me, taxes on it are going up… but then they’re cutting the price. *Slaps forehead*

  • hackles1008/05 05:27 AM

    I thought Sunday booze was a consideration?  What ever came of it?

  • arthurb308/05 06:05 AM

    Nah. They don’t need to be open on Sunday. Just plan ahead and buy on Saturday if you need to drink on Sunday. Keep the the number for AA handy!

  • Clay08/05 06:44 AM

    Just tell me when they start selling a better selection of liquor. They have some good things, don’t get me wrong, but it is so rare to see something out of the usual bottles that are in every ABC store.

  • sally08/05 08:08 AM

    Clay - Have you tried asking the manager of your local store if he can order something specific for you? (Also, selections vary - so you may find something of interest in a store in another neighborhood.)

  • Clay08/05 09:36 AM

    Sally- I have done that a few times. I do visit different ABC stores, no really I don’t have any issues! But anyways, I guess I am also looking for those things that I don’t necessarily know about yet. What about new things? Sweet tea vodka was a HUGE seller for them it seemed like and it was a new product. So why not take a chance a little more often and bring in some new and different products?

    Best ABC store so far has been the “Superstore” at Atlantic Beach. The usual stuff, but at least it was all in the same store! Nice and clean and well lit to boot! (ok I know it is a newer one, but get rid of some of the really old one’s in Raleigh)

  • Lisa Jeffries08/05 10:55 AM

    Clay, I think a lot of that comes from the way the commission and our state operate in the world of alcoholic beverages. Unlike most retailers, they don’t really seem to be at all part of the “be ahead of the trend and first to market” game that dictates being successful in sales and merchandising that we see in traditional retailing. I think some of it comes in the process that distillers and their respective agencies have to go through to get their product onto shelves. I can’t tell you how many of my friends continuously brought back Firefly by the caseload since it was available in SC way before it hit NC shelves. It was already beyond the state of general acceptance, which is why it stayed out of stock in many local stores so long. I really don’t know that any of us will see the day that the NC ABC becomes a player in the first to market distribution game.

  • Jim08/05 05:24 PM

    This comment strays a bit from the main intent of the article, but this area needs to dispense with its ridiculous blue laws.  My grocery shopping pet peeve is not being able to buy beer/wine on Sunday before noon.  Does that somehow save my coal black soul?  Jeez. 

    Sorry, Arthur, but ABC stores should be open on Sunday (and no, I’m not an alcoholic for wanting flexibility when it comes to buying hooch).  There are ones in northern VA (ABC stores, not privately owned liquor stores as in DC) that already are.

  • matt w08/06 05:08 AM

    Can anyone actually justify the existence of ABC stores in the first place?

  • KAT08/06 10:44 AM

    Hey, when I lived in Boston you couldnt even buy beer or wine on Sundays (this may have changed by now)and you also had to get them at the packy , not the grocery store….we are lucky here

  • gd08/06 11:32 AM

    Yeah, when I lived in MA you couldn’t buy anything on Sunday at a store, but you could buy a 6 pack at the bar and that was fine.

    I liked the package stores though to be honest.  I had one as a neighbor!

  • Harry Seaward08/06 01:20 PM

    there is a new ABC store going up on Sandy Forks and Falls of Neuse (right next to the old one) that is nearly 4 times the size of the old one.  The manager says that they are going to carry alot more of a variety of stuff so check that out when its finished for some different, out of the ordinary booze.

  • smitty08/06 04:54 PM

    Matt, ABC stores are a leftover from blue law days but the liquor companies like them, and lobby to keep them in place.  Probably makes their life easier not having to do any marketing and all the prices are fixed, not to mention no volume discounts.

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