CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina business is sharing its thoughts on alcohol restrictions being lifted in the state.
This comes after Gov. Roy Cooper signed the ABC Omnibus Bill, relaxing several regulations for alcohol sales.
The new provisions allow cocktails to go and the state’s ABC stores to be open on New Year’s Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day.
One North Carolina business says it has seen a boom of customers after the state relaxed restrictions of alcohol sales.
Robbie Delaney is the founder and owner of Muddy River Distillery.
The business just moved into a new location at the historic Mount Holly Cotton Mill.
“We’re the oldest rum distillery in the Carolinas,” Delaney said. “We started in 2011.”
Delaney says business has been booming. He credits the loosening of alcohol sale regulations with the success his business is experiencing.
“When we started, I couldn’t sell our own product to our own customer,” Delaney said. “It wasn’t until 2015 we could sell them one bottle per person per year.”
“So North Carolina changed a law to allow us to sell our product direct and that opened up the face of our company,” he said. “In 2017, that changed to five bottles. Right before COVID, they got rid of all the laws. All of a sudden, we could sell as many bottles of liquors as we want.”
Although ABC stores are permitted to open on certain holidays, they’re required to remain closed on Sundays.
“I believe eventually the state will give permission to ABC to do what they want to do in their individual stores and that’s how it should be,” Delaney said.
“In North Carolina, used to [be] you couldn’t buy a bottle of liquor on a Sunday,” he said. “They passed a law that says distilleries can be open on Sundays, and ABC stores are still closed. So, now we’re the only game in town if you need a bottle of booze on a Sunday.”
The new bill also allows ABC stores to sell gift cards, value-added products and barrels.