CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The countdown to New Year’s Eve is on, but this year’s celebrations will be a whole lot different as the coronavirus pandemic rages on.
In North and South Carolina, several curfews remain in place. In North Carolina, bars, restaurants and breweries must end the sale of alcohol by 9 p.m. and close by 10 p.m. In South Carolina, the sale of alcohol must end at 11 p.m.
On Wednesday, just one day before many get ready to toast the start of 2021, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper held a press briefing telling the public that the spread of COVID19 is so critical, the White Task Force gave a stark warning to North Carolinians, saying, “If you are under the age of 40 and gathered with members from people other than your immediate family, you should assume you are infected, you are dangerous to others.”
Many people WCNC spoke to on Wednesday saying they are heading the warnings and plan to ring in 2021 at home, including Julie Howren, owner of Howren’s Music store in the Park Road Shopping Center.
“Well, we had planned to have a bonfire in our backyard,” she said, “but now it looks like the weather is going to put a final 2020 stamp of approval and ruin that for us so.”
Juan Pablo Garcia-Caslas said he too plans to stay in with family. “Have a nice meal and yeah just wait until the countdown,” he said, “Honestly I am very excited to say goodbye to 2020.”
With more people opting to stay in, liquor stores said sales are through the roof. The Mecklenburg County ABC Board said for the month of December, sales at liquor stores are up nearly 12% compared to this time last year.
Just across the border in South Carolina, O’Darby’s Wine and Spirits, which operates 5 stores in and around Ft. Mill, said their sales are up roughly 25%.
“We’ve been breaking records on Christmas and we’re expecting to on New Year’s as well,” said Peyton White, “It’s literally been across the board, like all of the popular stuff just more of and all of the non-popular stuff just more of as well.”
White said vodka is usually the top performer, but over the last month says sales of Bourbon and moonshine have increased.
“Tomorrow we’re expecting a pretty big day,” he said.
But while liquor stores are seeing a bump in sales, local restaurants and bars are hurting. For example, Mecklenburg County ABC Board said sales to bars and restaurants are down more than 50%
To help with sales, this New Year’s Eve, bars and restaurants including the Cotton Room in Uptown, Vana and Bardo’s in South End and RuRu’s Tacos are all offering cocktail kits to go.