In the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. sales of alcoholic beverages rose 55% and online alcohol sales spiked 243%, that’s according to Nielsen.
Liquor stores in the Rio Grande Valley also saw a spike in sales.
Holiday Wine & Liquor Stores, family-owned and operated in the RGV since 1982, registered a 30-40 percent increase at the beginning of the pandemic.
“I think that people got spurred to go purchase as if it was going to be an absolute lockdown, so I don’t know if that will continue,” said Catia Hernandez-Holm of Holiday Wine & Liquor
The rise in alcohol sales is leaving some with excess liquor at home, and that can be a problem for some.
“Cause they are bored, a lot of us can reflect on alcohol like cheering us up,” says Joel Morales with the Palmer Drug Abuse Program of Mcallen.
Morales says with more alcohol stockpiled at home, more clients are relapsing.
The Palmer Drug Abuse Program is still visiting individual clients by phone and is encouraging anyone needing assistance to call them at (956) 687-7714.
For now the increase in sales is helping Holiday Wine & Liquor stores weather the storm.
Store management says they want to ensure the public they are staying open and are taking all the necessary health precautions keeping both customers and employees safe.
“We work our hardest to serve our customers and to serve our staff and we know that we are one of many family-owned and operated business who are hustling so hard to keep up with the change.” said Hernandez-Holm.
