VIDEO: Liquor Stores Gear Up For Big Rush Ahead Of New Year’s Celebration

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- The New Year is just around the corner, and for many liquor stores it’s one of their busiest times of the year.

“We do definitely see an increase in some of our foot traffic, but mostly our product count per customer increases go up more than anything,” said Chase Elgin, store manager at Rooks Wine Cellar in Columbus.

Elgin said the store is definitely seeing a big rush this weekend.

Whether its champagne, liquor, or wine, several of customers are pouring in to get their hands on a bottle to help them bring in the new year.

“I’ve been here what, two, three years almost and I would say this is definitely my biggest two weeks out of the year,” said Elgin.

And a big reason for that is because New Year’s Eve falls on a Sunday this year, which means liquor stores will be closed.

“It’s a little bit strange because everybody is going to have to buy everything a lot earlier, so there is a little bit of tense buying,” the store manager explained. “People don’t know if they’re going to have enough so they maybe buy a little extra, or they gamble it and try to show up really late tomorrow if they don’t have enough.”

The store has been gearing up for the big night for several months now.

They’re making sure the shelves are well stocked, and they’re even bringing in extra help.

“We usually try to keep our best stock forward,” said Elgin. “We have a lot of Andre in stock, La Marca Prosecco, the high dollar champagnes.”

Elgin said the big rush is great for business.

The store also services wholesale businesses and local bars.

With the big rush coming in, workers said there are a few bottles in particular that seem to be popular among customers this holiday season.

“We’ve seen a lot of Moët & Chandon leave the store, we almost burned through that immediately,” Elgin described. “La Marca Prosecco, our newest Moscatto, we sold through several cases in the span of barely a month, and of course Andre is always a big seller.”

Rooks Wine Cellar will be open again on Saturday from 10 to 10 before closing on New Years Eve.