Sales to licensees for store pickup resume; Curbside pickup expands to more stores, increases order cap
Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board today announced it continues to expand access to wine and spirits to retail customers and licensees, all while maintaining social distancing and other Pennsylvania Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention best practices in the interest of public health and safety.
Licensee Sales
Today the PLCB is resuming fulfillment of retail licensees’ orders for wine and spirits through its network of 13 licensee service centers and 580 Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores.
Following Pennsylvania’s three-phased (red, yellow, green) approach to determine when counties are ready to begin easing some restrictions and allow certain business operations to resume, the PLCB is providing guidance today to licensees on protocols the PLCB will follow in fulfilling licensee orders in the various phases.
Depending on where the licensee’s designated pickup location is, and that region’s color designation, requirements for licensee pickup orders may include placing orders online, touchless payment, restricted or limited access to PLCB facilities, and social distancing.
Curbside Pickup
Beginning today, the six-bottle limit on curbside orders increases to 12 units per order.
Additionally, next week the PLCB will open curbside pickup to 14 more locations – in Russellton, Allegheny County; Conemaugh, Cambria County; Knox, Clarion County; Curwensville, Clearfield County; Mount Union, Huntingdon County; Reynoldsville, Jefferson County; Port Allegany, McKean County; Pottstown and Norristown, Montgomery County; Galeton, Potter County; and Latrobe, Monessen, Irwin, and Avonmore, Westmoreland County – bringing the total number of stores offering curbside pickup to 580. As of next week, only four Fine Wine & Good Spirits retail stores temporarily closed for renovations won’t be offering curbside pickup.
Fine Wine & Good Spirits curbside pickup sales, which began with 176 store locations across Pennsylvania on April 20 and expanded to 565 stores on April 27, total 213,433 orders for $17.41 million including sales tax, according to preliminary, unaudited figures through April 30. Weekly sales growth is detailed below.
- April 20 – 25: 66,959 orders for $6.42 million
- April 27 – 30: 146,474 orders for $10.99 million
The list of stores offering curbside service is available online.
Most stores support curbside service Monday through Saturday – taking a limited number of orders on a first-call, first-served basis beginning at 9:00 AM each day and scheduling pickup appointments between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM those days – but some stores will operate on more limited days and hours. Many stores are continuing to take calls after 1:00 PM, as they are able to continue fulfilling curbside pickup orders.
All retail stores remain closed for public entry at this time, although additional information regarding store operations in counties moving from red to yellow on May 8 will be provided next week.
Online Sales
According to preliminary, unaudited figures, e-commerce sales at FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com from April 1 through 30 total 116,680 orders for $11.14 million, excluding sales tax. In fiscal year 2018-19, e-commerce sales between July 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019, totaled 39,000 orders for $5 million. Online weekly sales are detailed below.
- April 1 – 7: 7,778 orders for $707,666
- April 8 – 14: 10,852 orders for $1.05 million
- April 15 – 21: 45,979 orders for $4.39 million
- April 22 – 28: 38,048 orders for $3.65 million
Special Orders
The PLCB also resumed fulfillment of Special Orders, which are items not stocked by the PLCB, for licensees last week. Special Orders are processed through 14 PLCB locations across the state. Preliminary, unaudited Special Order sales from April 22 through 30 total 562 orders for $920,636, excluding sales tax, and weekly sales are detailed below.
- April 22 – 28: 485 orders for $817,088
- April 28 – 30: 77 orders for $103,548
The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates nearly 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits – totaling nearly $18.5 billion since the agency’s inception – are returned to Pennsylvania’s General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania’s schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit lcb.pa.gov.
MEDIA CONTACT: Elizabeth Brassell, 717-919-1905
EDITOR’S NOTE: No media access will be granted inside Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores while they remain closed to the public. Additionally, media are encouraged to honor the following guidelines to protect Fine Wine & Good Spirits store staff and customers.
- Follow social distancing guidelines, remaining at least six feet away from any other individual.
- Respect the wishes of store staff or customers who do not want to be photographed, recorded, or approached.
- Direct all questions to the PLCB Communications Office, as store staff will be busy assisting customers.
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