ABL Celebrates 10th Annual Package Liquor Store Month This November
Annual Celebration Recognizes the Role Independent Off-Premise Retailers Have in Job Creation, Product Accessibility & Responsible Policies
BETHESDA, MD – OCTOBER 31, 2019 – This November, American Beverage Licensees (ABL) and independent licensed beverage retailers nationwide will join together to celebrate the 10th Annual Package Liquor Store Month. This celebration recognizes the hard work, commitment to responsibility, and role played by independent package store owners in communities across the United States.
America’s off-premise beverage retailers play an important role within the greater economy at the local, state and federal level. As noted in ABL’s 2018 Economic Impact Study of America’s Beer, Wine & Spirits Retailers, off-premise retailers have a direct economic impact in excess of $42.04 billion annually. These retailers further account for more than 565,000 jobs and $18.67 billion in wages and benefits – along with generating $7.12 billion in state and local taxes and an additional $9.18 billion in federal taxes.
America’s package stores – some of the nation’s last independently-owned “Main Street” businesses – serve as the face of the beverage industry for consumers within the framework of the Three-Tier System, as they are the last to handle beer, wine and spirits products before they reaches consumers. Beverage alcohol brands are built by these businesses, and for many consumers, the local package store provides opportunities to sample and learn about new flavors, styles and varieties of beverage alcohol from an ever-evolving marketplace. This focus on customer service and consumer education often comes from trusted experts and includes how best to enjoy and share these products responsibly.
“The American package store plays an important role within the communities where they operate,” said ABL President J.J. Moran of Four Winds Liquor & Lounge in Cheyenne, Wyoming. “Not only do they conduct safe and responsible face-to-face sales to adult consumers – thus leading by example when it comes to preventing underage access to alcohol – but they also serve as some of the last remaining independent businesses in cities and towns across this great country. And it’s these businesses that continue to have a positive impact by creating jobs, supporting local youth sports and civic organizations, leading disaster relief efforts, and offering unparalleled product choices to millions of customers.”
Package stores also play a vital role in preventing counterfeit or tainted alcohol from reaching consumers. Working with licensed wholesalers and suppliers in the Three-Tier System, customers are confident that the products they purchase in their local package store are safe and authentic.
This November, ABL encourages you to show your support for independent retailers and the 10th Annual Package Liquor Store Month by posting a picture of your neighborhood package store to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #PLSMonth.
Click here for more information and to view #PLSMonth promotional materials!
# # #
American Beverage Licensees is the preeminent national trade association for beverage alcohol retailers. Direct retail beverage alcohol sales in the United States generate more than a 2.03 million well-paying jobs. ABL’s thousands of on-premise and off-premise licensee members are independent and often family-owned establishments. The beverage retailing industry pays over $27.9 billion in federal taxes and $20.0 billion in state and local taxes. To learn more about ABL, visit www.ablusa.org.
Source: ABL