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Dharmendra Thakor, manager of A&D Discount Liquor, at the corner of Main Street and U.S. 90, straightens a top-shelf bottle of Booker’s bourbon at his store in downtown Lake City Friday afternoon. Thakor said since the coronavirus pandemic hit his business has been good, as people have increased spending on liquor and beer, buying larger quantities and more frequently. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter) -
Danny Patel, owner of 47 Liquor, straightens bottles of Crown Royal on the shelves in his store in Lake City. Patel opened the new store February 1, but saw a quick spike in business when the covid-19 pandemic disrupted daily life. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter) -
Wearing a protective mask when facing customers has become a daily part of business for Dharmendra Thakor, manager of A&D Discount Liquor in downtown Lake City. Thakor also installed a plexiglass shield at his customer service area to help protect him and his customers during the covid-19 pandemic. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter) -
The electronic sign at 47 Liquor, 563 SW SR 47, Lake City, shows a message thanking doctors and first responders for their actions during the Covid-19 pandemic. Danny Patel, owner of the store, said he wanted to do something to thank the medical professionals and first responders working every day. “They are the true heroes,” he said. Sales have spiked at Patel’s store as well in recent weeks. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)
People enjoy pulling a cork or popping a top during normal times, but local consumers under stress, as they are now in pandemic uncertainty, are hitting the bottle much harder.
Boozing it up means business is good, says one liquor store operator in Lake City.
“Business has been really good lately,” said Dharmendra “D.” Thakor, manager of A&D Discount Liquor at the corner of Main Street and U.S. 90 at the epicenter of downtown Lake City. “People are drinking a lot.”
Thakor said at first there was concern liquor stores would not be classified as essential and might be forced to close, which triggered a run on liquor hoarding about three weeks ago until it was clarified Gov. Ron DeSantis had made liquor stores essential and allowed them to remain open.
“There were several days where we saw a huge spike in sales because there was panic buying from people,” he said. “They were stocking up on liquor, mostly. After that, it’s been a slow, steady increase of good business every day.”
And which bottle do Lake City people tip to help forget a pandemic?
“Brandy, cognac and vodka is what my clientele go for the most,” Thakor said. “Vodka is probably the most popular. Maybe because you can mix it with anything? I guess if you have to be locked inside, that’s what people want.”
Thakor said he has a loyal repeat customer base, but he’s seen a lot of new faces in the past few weeks since the chain liquor establishments such as ABC Liquors and Winn-Dixie Liquors have offered limited store hours and started closing early.
“We welcome all customers,” he said. “We have the best bourbon selection in town, the high-end brands, and we have all the higher end brands of liquor, too. We sell a lot of beer and wine, too. People should stop in a check us out.”
A&D Discount Liquor is open seven days per week and is located in a former gas station building at 126 SW Main Blvd., at the corner of Main Boulevard and U.S. Highway 90. The store is open Friday and Saturday from noon till midnight; Sundays from noon till 8 p.m.; and Monday through Thursday from noon till 10:30 p.m. Call the store at (386) 487-5135.
Across town at Lake City’s newest liquor store, 47 Liquor, owner Danny Patel said he had been open only a month when his business saw the same skyrocket when customers went into a panic-buying spree in fear liquor stores would close indefinitely.
“We saw a big spike in our beer sales because even grocery stores in town temporarily ran out of beer,” said Patel, whose store features a walk-in beer cooler, plus walls lined with locker-type coolers filled with chilled beverages.
“We also have seen our liquor business go up a little, but we are a very new store. We have sold a lot of vodka and tequila. I guess people don’t want to stay at home without their margaritas.”
Patel said he and his staff are taking every health precaution to keep customers safe when they visit.
“We are always cleaning and disinfecting the store from front to back,” Patel said. “We clean and wipe down everything. We sanitize the door handles about every third customer. We want the best experience and we want our customers to know that when they come into 47 Liquor to shop, we are providing the best possible environment for them.”
Patel said he was grateful that his store was deemed “essential” and that his new business could remain open, but he said he put a message on his electronic sign outside the business thanking doctors and emergency personnel for their work during the pandemic.
“They are the true heroes,” he said.
47 Liquor is located at 563 SW SR 47, at the corner of SR 47 and Bascom Norris Drive, Lake City. It is open seven days per week, Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. till 11 p.m.; Sunday, noon till 8 p.m.; and Monday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. till 10 p.m. Call the store at (386) 438-5048.