COVID-19 shuts down bars and nightclubs. Bradenton liquor stores are picking up the slack

The shelves on local liquor stores aren’t empty, but there are noticeable dents in supplies as sales surged in the wake of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announcing Tuesday that all bars would have to close their doors for 30 days because of the novel coronavirus.

Bradenton bar owners took the news with mixed reactions, but the news was good for local liquor stores.

Managers at three liquor stores were not allowed to be identified due to corporate policies but were willing to speak. A manager at a Manatee County Winn Dixie liquor store said sales “went through the roof,” on Tuesday beginning right after the announcement.

“Skyrocketing,” he said. “This is season, so business is usually good, but I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

A manager at one of the local ABC liquor stores has seen something similar, but only once a year.

“Sales have been huge since yesterday,” he said. “It was our single most biggest sales day since Christmas Eve.”

Eric Caldwell was smiling as he rolled out a cart full of his favorite beer on Wednesday.

“You never know,” he said. “Look at how people have reacted. I still can’t find toilet paper, but I’ve got my beer, so I’m good for awhile.”

The wine and beer aisles at Publix also still had plenty of offerings but there too, were noticeable empty spaces where it was apparent people were buying up their favorite brands.

Next door in the Publix liquor store, sales were “way up,” said the store manager. “As soon as it hit the news about the bars closing people were streaming in. I wasn’t sure what was going on until I saw the news myself.”

There was a good supply on hand, though.

“I got ahead of the game and we’ll continue to stay that way,” he said.