The coronavirus pandemic will likely cause permanent changes in how businesses in Arkansas operate. One of those may be alcoholic beverage retailers.
Some in the liquor industry in the state are considering approaching the Arkansas Legislature about permanently legalizing the delivery of alcohol, which the state began permitting last month in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We actually hope that this delivery service thing is something we can keep on for a while,” said John Akins, a co-owner of Legacy Wine & Spirits in Little Rock and president of the United Beverage Retailers of Arkansas. “I hope that [Gov. Asa Hutchinson] extends it out for us and that eventually we can legislatively make it legal.”
While many other retailers are experiencing a loss in sales as people try to stick close to home in an effort to stem the contagion, package liquor stores have seen an increase in business, Akins said recently. “It’s literally been like a holiday season for us, it’s been so busy.”
