Opinion: Buncombe County technically a dry county

Most citizens are not aware that North Carolina’s ABC liquor stores are owned and operated by the communities they live in. While the State’s ABC Commission enforces liquor laws, sets prices, warehouses, and distributes liquor, 172 independent ABC boards across the state conduct all the retail sales.

When prohibition ended in 1933, the federal government left it up to states to figure out what to do. It took North Carolina until 1937 to come up with a plan: Each community was to vote to be ‘wet’ or ‘dry’. No other state did this. Asheville’s ABC Board was voted into existence by its residents in 1947, and today it is the eighth largest board in the state and fourth in commercial liquor sales.

Did you know that Buncombe County is technically a ‘dry’ county? Fortunately, four municipalities including Asheville, Black Mountain, Weaverville, and Woodfin voted to sell spiritous liquor. Last year the four boards’ combined liquors sales were $55.5M, with over 80% of sales coming from Asheville’s nine stores.

In the last five years, lawmakers have been passing legislation to modernize the 85-year-old system. In 2021 HB 890 removed many outdated restrictions and opened up where and how spiritous liquors could be distributed. Last month HB 768 went even further regarding modernization to include now allowing ‘bars’, or establishments that serve alcohol the ability to do so without having to serve a percentage of food.

Did you know that the state’s ABC system requires zero tax dollars to operate? In the fiscal year 2022, liquor taxes put $671M into the state’s general fund and into the coffers of communities with ABC boards with the Asheville ABC Board distributing $4.8M in profits to Asheville and Buncombe County. The profits stay in the community where the spirits are sold.

“I’m amazed how few people know that their ABC stores are locally owned and operated with their profits and grants program funding going right back into the community they serve,” said Asheville ABC Board Chair Jan Davis. “We run our system like a business and focus on modern stores, plenty of choices, excellent customer service, and efficiency. We must constantly balance good business practices with responsible sales because what we sell is unique.”

N.C. statutes also require ABC Boards to fund alcohol law enforcement and allocate 7% of its profits for alcohol and drug education and rehabilitation. Last month Asheville ABC awarded $340,000 to First at Blue Ridge, Inc., Homeward Bound, Next Step Recovery, Asheville 12-Step Recovery Club, Aurora Studio & Gallery, ARC of Buncombe County, PivotPoint WNC, Our Voice, Helpmate, Caring for Children, and Delta House Life Development.

“All of our profits go back into the community, and our grants program funds alcohol & drug education and treatment programs for those who really need help. These 11 agencies work hard to make a difference in people’s lives,” Davis said.

It is statistically proven that control states have lower incidents of alcohol-related issues, such as DUI’s, alcohol-related deaths, alcoholism, and under-aged drinking. North Carolina has a unique system that has worked well; however, modernization is necessary to keep it balanced with the current convenience culture and the necessity to carefully control how it is distributed.

Mark Combs has served as Asheville ABC general manager since 2011.