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Somerset County Liquor Dispensaries See Drop in Revenues

Liquor dispensary sales and profits in Somerset County had one of the worst years on record.

A recent audit found that sales dropped by more than $70-thousand while profits declined by over $26-thousand for the fiscal year ending in April.

Certified public accountant Scott Tawes told the Somerset County Council that the Route 13 store north of Pocomoke city had the worst year with sales dropping by more than $38-thousand from a year ago.

The Salisbury Daily Times reports that the decline is possibly due to competition from a Worcester County dispensary only a few miles away in the Lowe’s shopping center.

The Princess Anne store saw a decline of $10-thousand while the Crisfield store experienced a $5-thousand drop. 

The paper reports that the Somerset County Liquor Control Board has already taken measures to cut expenses over the next year.

These efforts range from plans to cut labor costs by 10 percent and reducing discounts to restaurants and bars to closing down the wine room at the Crisfield facility and eliminating sponsorships and advertising. 

           

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.