Market Watch: Retailers Weigh In On Pandemic Aftermath

Throughout the past 12 grueling months of Covid, beverage alcohol retailers proved an essential economic channel to consumers and the industry. They installed Plexiglas at counters, practiced social distancing, kept stores sanitized, closed to in-store traffic when necessary, ramped up online technology, and met growing curbside and delivery demands.

“Over the last 12 months we had to adjust our business on the fly to the many changes occurring real time,” says Dustin Mitzel, CEO of Happy Harry’s Bottle Shops, which has five units in North Dakota. “Our initial plan for 2020 was thrown out the window by March and we were no longer able to plan beyond what seemed like a week at a time. But luckily we quickly reset our expectations and rolled with the punches throughout the year.”

With bars and restaurants still not operating at capacity, retail sales remain robust overall, although pandemic-related challenges—such as shortages in growth categories like boxed wine and Tequila—have continued so far this year. “The biggest challenge is forecasting our buying because there’s no way we’re going to have the numbers and sales we had last spring,” says Bob Kreston, owner of Kreston Wine & Spirits in Delaware. Market Watch has the full story.—Kevin Barry

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