Liquor Shortages On NC Shelves Gets Legislature's Attention

Persistent liquor shortages on local Alcoholic Beverage Control store shelves prompted North Carolina lawmakers to question the current top state ABC official and the distribution contractor. The House ABC committee met for two hours Wednesday with the deputy ABC commissioner and a lawyer representing the company called LB&B Associates. The committee chairman says he had a lot more questions than answers at the close of the hearing. The implementation of a new inventory and ordering software program hasn't been smooth. Officials also say liquor consumption increases, the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions also are to blame.