Hurricane Does Not Cause Anticipated Lines At Package Stores

Package store owners and employees are keenly familiar with the ritual. Whenever inclement weather is forecast, locals typically make last-minute, bulk-buying liquor runs that deplete the stores’ supplies. However, in the case of Hurricane Irene, local package store proprietors did not report a significant spike in pre-hurricane sales. 

Rocky Hill Liquors employees could not identify any noticeable uptick in purchases preceding the storm. The proprietor of , who did not wish his name used for this article, characterized the hours before the hurricane as “just business as usual."

Employees at the  did allow that Friday and Saturday were “a little busier than normal.”

But, among local package stores, the only one that experienced a dramatic surge in sales was , perhaps because of its proximity to Hillside Plaza and other shopping centers nearby that appeal to a younger age-set. Bob of Suburban merely nodded and affirmed “Oh yeah,” when asked if the shop got slammed with customers before Irene arrived.

Jay of  attributed the lack of the widespread consumer crush partially to the prevailing economic conditions.

“People just don’t have a lot of money to spend on alcohol in a down economy, even if they know they may be stranded somewhere for a while.”

Jay also proposed a more poignant cause for the lack of lines at most package stores.

“People were pretty scared this time. They’re mainly thinking about keeping their families safe and not really as much about drinking and having a good time.”