The Virginia ABC is opening a retail store on the corner of Main St. and 21st later this spring.
ABC
New ABC program may eventually soften the hated 45% ratio
The often-ridiculed law that requires restaurants to sell a minimum dollar value of food based on liquor sales has shown extraordinary staying power, in part because a powerful beer and wine lobby opposes upsetting the status quo.
But one law based on House Bill 2293, could make things easier for restaurant owners who want to sell high-quality liquor by allowing restaurants to calculate their ratio based on the volume of liquor sold, not by the dollar figure as is currently done.
100-proof doesn’t mean recession-proof
The state-run business of selling liquor is showing signs of a hangover. Sales to bars and restaurants for January were down 3 percent compared with the previous year. For the fiscal year that began in July, year-to-date sales at Virginia ABC stores were still up 6.3 percent from the previous year. But the size of… Read more »
Liquor sales up, but more drink at home
For many Virginians, it looks like hard liquor isn’t considered discretionary spending. Sales at Virginia ABC stores are up 6.5 percent compared to the same period a year ago, according to fiscal year-to-date (July-November) sales figures from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.