NORTH CAROLINA – A newly proposed liquor buyback program would allow restaurants and bars struggling from the coronavirus shutdowns to sell their alcohol back to ABC stores.

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Sen. Rick Gunn (R-Alamance) and the North Carolina Association of ABC Boards pushed for the plan on Wednesday. 

Gunn said, "This program would help struggling bar and restaurant owners raise needed cash to withstand the economic shutdown. This is the hardest hit sector in our economy, and this is a simple step we can take now to help deliver some relief."

"During this time of crisis all North Carolinians must do what we can to help our friends and neighbors in need," said Miles Davis, President of the N.C. Association of ABC Boards. "As a vital part of communities across North Carolina, the North Carolina Association of ABC Boards' Board of Directors unanimously voted today to ask all local ABC Boards implement a mixed beverage permittee buyback policy due to the hardship that mixed beverage permittees are experiencing due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the Governor’s subsequent Executive Order #118."

According to a release, the Association of ABC Boards passed a resolution that supports local ABC policies, which allow local boards to enact a policy to "allow any bottles that have been purchased since January 1, 2020 to be returned for a refund at current retail price, less the mixed beverage tax."

"To execute the recommendations, local ABC boards would have adopt local policies to implement the buyback program. At that time, bars and restaurants within that locality would be able to begin selling their unused liquor back to ABC stores," according to the release.

You can read the full resolution below.

Proposed Policy - COVID19 Buyback by Justin on Scribd