As local eateries adapt to the harsh realities of the coronavirus pandemic, liquor license holders can now join the crowd of businesses that are working to stay afloat by offering carryout and delivery sales.
Gov. Larry Hogan banned on-premise drinking at bars and restaurants but on Thursday said a new executive order is being issued allowing for delivery and carryout sales of alcohol by restaurants, bars, distilleries and wineries, subject to local regulations, The Baltimore Sun reported.
The Carroll County Board of License Commissioners, also known as the liquor board, voted unanimously, 3-0, via phone Thursday night to support Hogan’s order but limit carryout and delivery to containers sealed by the manufacturer, according to Keith Benfer, chief inspector for the liquor board.
“We are supportive of his order,” Benfer said.
Benfer said that excludes mixed drinks but includes sealed bottles of beer, wine, and liquor. The order applies to restaurants, bars, distilleries, wineries and packaged goods stores, he said. Delivery is limited within the borders of Carroll County.
Delivery drivers must be at least 21 years old and may only deliver the alcohol to someone who is 21 or older, Benfer said. Each delivery is recorded on a form, provided by the liquor board, that requires a signature from the delivery driver and the recipient of the alcohol, certifying they are of age.
“I think it’s a good move all around," said Bruce Reamer, owner of Salerno’s Restaurant and Catering in Eldersburg. “Everybody’s just trying to weather the storm. I feel bad for the restaurants that don’t have the capability to do carryout.”
Reamer said he’d been contacting the Carroll liquor board since Tuesday to try to get a special exception — then Hogan’s order on Thursday made delivery possible.
Salerno’s usually offers beer and wine to go, but this is their first venture into delivering the product.
Their bartenders are delivering within a five-mile radius. They sold some alcohol, but not a huge amount as of Friday afternoon, Reamer said, though he suspects that will pick up.
After Hogan ordered restaurants to close to diners Monday, Reamer said they gave away 500 pounds of corned beef and cabbage to customers, asking for donations to employees in return. They raised about $1,000.
“All the restaurants, we’re all sitting on a lot of inventory,” Reamer said.
They delivered free meals to senior citizens, who sent thank-you notes in reply.
“The community’s been awesome," he said. “We couldn’t ask for a better relationship with customers.”
Initially, when the governor shuttered restaurants and bars, Benfer said, he heard concerns from business owners. They feared products going stale and having to lay off employees.
After the local liquor board issued its decision Thursday, Benfer contacted about 150 liquor license holders in Carroll County to notify them. As of late Friday morning, he’d heard back from about 30 businesses that said they plan to participate.
One of the businesses that seized the opportunity was Sunny’s Fine Wines and Liquors in Eldersburg.
“At first I thought that it would be overwhelming,” owner Sunil “Sunny” Vasavada said, but as of Friday it had been manageable. “I feel that it is a community service."
Deliveries of five miles or less are free, while greater distances will incur a fee, he said.
Beer is selling more than anything else. He estimates there’s been an increase of 30 to 40% in customers.
His current strategy is taking most orders earlier in the day, between 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., then starting deliveries later.
“People are very, very receptive," Vasavada said. “Let’s get the business in the community."
Over in Hampstead, Eric Cellitto, owner of Main Street Liquors and Deli, is focused on carryout but is not ruling out delivery.
Business remains steady. Alcohol deliveries are up, and he’s noticed more people are buying larger quantities at once. At the deli, he’s seen people buying toilet paper, bread, eggs, paper towels and milk more than anything. He’s had to limit how many staple items a person can purchase.
“It reminds me of a blizzard,” Cellitto said.
He said the community has been supportive during this time. On St. Patrick’s Day, a customer brought him corned beef and cabbage. Cellitto said it’s important to maintain a sense of normalcy.
“I worry if they shut things down that it creates some sort of chaos,” he said.
Benfer encourages Carroll residents to buy from local businesses as they face a “very uncertain future.”
“Shop local,” he said. “Help local businesses.”