WANCHESE, N.C. — Whether you're visiting or living on the Outer Banks, you may from time to time search for your favorite canned cocktail beverage only to realize they are sold only at state-owned ABC stores in North Carolina.
"The number one question at Brew Thru we get asked is, hey, do you guys have High Noon? Do you guys have NUTRL? Do you guys have Surfside?" said Philip Foreman, the owner of Brew Thru in the Outer Banks.
Foreman says his staff always has to explain and direct customers to the ABC store for those beverages, but he feels they have every right to sell them as well.
"There's not a lot of alcohol in these beverages, but because of this outdated law, we're just not allowed to sell it," said Foreman.
Current North Carolina law allows packaged liquor drinks to be sold at state-owned ABC stores, but grocery stores and places like Brew Thru are only allowed to sell beer and wine.
"There's around 18,000 permittees that sell beer and wine in North Carolina. It's not only unfair to them, it's unfair to our citizens," said Foreman.
This issue is front and center in the Outer Banks as tourists go to their local shops expecting to see these beverages on the shelves.
"We've heard stories from our Corolla manager, where people come through and they ask for these spirit-based RTDs (ready to drink beverages), and they find out they can't get them, and then they go to the ABC store, and then they come back to us and buy some alternative that we can sell, and they say they were out, their shelves are empty. Why force them to go to an ABC store for something that is much lower in alcohol than what we are already sell," said Foreman.
Foreman says this push isn't about disrupting ABC's operations.
"We're not getting rid of the ABC system. For the long term future, you'll be buying hard liquor from the ABC store, but at least, if you want a high noon, you don't have to drive to an ABC store to get it. Is anything going to change in the regulation of this? Nothing. The wholesalers are going to sell it to the retailers, and we're going to be under the same strict guidelines as we are now. We're still going to check IDs, they'll still be law enforcement, you will get a DUI if you drink irresponsibly. None of that will change in my mind," said Foreman.
Foreman hopes the progress continues to move forward. Recently, the N.C. House ABC Committee unanimously approved the language in House Bill 921. Right now, the expectation would be for beverages with 9.9% ABV and lower to be sold at retailers. Foreman feels changing this law will expand access and business opportunities for everyone.
"I think this could be a win-win for the ABC, could be a win-win for the wholesalers, a win-win for the retailers, and more importantly, a win-win for North Carolinians," said Foreman.
Now Foreman is calling on the state Senate to add language to allow for these sales in House Bill 198, a similar bill updating the state's laws on alcohol. Right now, that bill focuses more on allowing the state to obtain a loan for a new ABC warehouse, and Foreman wants this language added to it as well.
"Hopefully, the House and Senate will come together, we can get funding for a new ABC warehouse, and we can get RTDs in a final bill, and make this happen sooner than later," said Foreman.
Brew Thru has been a beloved business on the Outer Banks for nearly 50 years, and Foreman just wants to be able to continue the longstanding service the business offers through changing opportunities like these.
"Small retailers like Brew Thru are trying to adapt to what our customers want, but North Carolina law prevents us from selling one of the fastest-growing beverage categories in the country," said Foreman.
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