November is National Package Liquor Store Month

Beverage Dynamics - Spec's Wine, Spirits, and Finer Foods warehouse store at 2410 Smith St, Houston, TX.

November is a special month for everyone involved in alcohol retail.

November is National Package Liquor Store Month, recognized by American Beverage Licensees (ABL) and celebrated in communities across the country. Established in 2009, Package Liquor Store Month is an opportunity to showcase independently-owned package stores and the benefits they provide beverage consumers.

Package stores continue to uphold a longstanding legacy that began before Prohibition, the ABL wrote in a press release. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines a “Package Store” as “a store that sells bottled or canned (alcohol) beverages for consumption off the premises” and traces its usage back to 1918.

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“ABL proudly supports our package liquor store members,” said ABL President Warren Scheidt, a package store owner in Columbus, Indiana. “Locally owned and operated, off-premise licensees support their local communities and recognize the responsibility of selling alcohol products in a diverse and competitive market.”

In the U.S., off-premise retailers provide over 535,132 jobs through the direct sale of beverage alcohol. That includes more than $17.5 billion in wages and benefits, $32.6 billion in direct economic impact each year.

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“Independent package liquor stores serve their communities by creating jobs and generating economic activity, in addition to providing the beer, wine and spirits products that their customers expect,” said John Bodnovich, ABL’s Executive Director.  “Package Liquor Store Month is an opportunity to recognize these businesses that support local charities, sponsor sports leagues, and work with law enforcement, regulators and parents to prevent the misuse of alcohol.”

Licensing requirements for package stores can be rigorous, which means that package store owners put a premium on refusing sales to underage and intoxicated would-be-customers.  By training their staff and working within their communities to raise awareness about preventing underage access to alcohol, America’s package stores are fulfilling their commitment to responsibly selling beverage alcohol.

“In this season of celebration, ABL and its members encourage everyone to support locally owned businesses by stopping in their neighborhood package store for a bottle of their favorite wine, beer or distilled spirits,” the organization wrote in a press release. “November is Package Liquor Store Month — Let’s Celebrate!”

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