GLENVILLE — Bottoms up!
Business is booming at liquor stores and beverage centers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued sweeping new restrictions on Friday, ordering non-essential businesses to keep staff home and the general public to stay indoors effective by 8 p.m. Sunday.
Even before the governor wrapped up his daily press conference, the parking lot at Freemans Bridge Wine & Liquor filled up with anxious shoppers, said owner Dan Maggs.
“I’ve been here 20 years and I’ve never seen anything like it,” Maggs said. “The guy who buys one bottle, he wants a case. People are reacting out of fear.”
Liquor and grocery stores are considered essential and will remain open.
“Under the governor’s direction, the manufacture, distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages are deemed essential, thus not subject to the governor’s ordered workforce reductions,” said William Crowley, a spokesman for the State Liquor Authority.
Customers are continuing to panic buy, according to interviews with a half-dozen local liquor stores.
“They’re panicking and asking me if I’m closing,” said Carrie Peek, owner of Zinful Thoughts Wine & Liquor in Scotia. “We are not closing.”
Business has been steady at A to Z Wine & Spirit Center in Burnt Hills all week.
“They think they’re not going to get it, so they’re buying four or five bottles,” said owner Persun Patel.
Maggs said customers are buying six or eight bottles at time. Many are new arrivals, he said, asking for directions to the vodka aisle.
“The largest challenge for me is keeping inventory,” he said.
Beer, too, has been flying off the shelves.
Glenville Beverage owner Andrew Crounse estimated a 40 percent increase in business since last week.
He’s seen a crop of unfamiliar faces, a group he believes are bar-goers displaced after taprooms were shuttered statewide on Monday.
“Everything has been selling really well,” Crounse said.
Wholesalers are also stocking up, said J.P. DeCarlo, a sales consultant with DeCrescente Distributing Co., who manages 11 accounts.
“People are afraid stores like this will close,” he said.
Mike Berardini, a state sales manager for Yuengling, said the brewer will inevitably take a hit as a result of statewide bar closures.
But between 70 and 80 percent of his sales are to stores and wholesalers, he said, which will mitigate the impact.
Restaurants statewide continue to be open for take-out and delivery orders only.
Customers can only enter businesses to pick up orders, with no consumption of food or drink — and no lingering, according to the regulations.
As part of the new restrictions taking effect Sunday, people shouldn’t use mass transit unless absolutely necessary, while those under 70 should limit outdoor activity to getting food and medicine and maintain the required six-foot social distancing.
The state has relaxed regulations governing alcohol sales, allowing restaurants and taprooms to offer drinks to-go, but only if accompanied by food.
Local taprooms are continuing to attempt to navigate the new landscape.
Centre Street Pub in Schenectady is sitting on 26 in-house draft lines, as well as ”countless” craft cans from breweries and distributors, said general manager George Carstensen.
The Union Street location is toying with the idea of taking those beers and canning them in two-pint “crowlers” to-go.
“Right now, we’re exploring ways for people to order like that for curb-side pickup,” Carstensen said. “We’re sitting on a perfectly good supply that we can put in cans for people to consume at their homes.”
