LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Alcohol can be added to the long list of shortages due to the pandemic.
Eunice Montoya is the manager at 501 Wine and Spirits in Little Rock and she said her store is no exception when it comes to those shortages.
Before the pandemic, she could expect at least a weekly supply of items, but now her distributor can only provide a 30-day supply.
"Our top seller is Crown and we are limited to one case per week versus before the pandemic, we would do a 50 case deal," Montoya said.
The well is running dry and the inventory is pretty unpredictable these days.
"We are currently out of Crown Apple, fifths and Crown pints," Montoya said.
She doesn't have an idea when the store will be back in stock again.
Since the list of shortages continues, she is now making her own adjustments to items like beer, which can not be bought in a six-pack from the store at this time.
"We are having to make them in bags, because we have customers looking for specific six-packs," Montoya said.
She believes the root of the problem boils down to two things: transportation issues and a lack of supplies to make alcohol, but that is not all.
"It's also a glass issue because a lot of distilleries have the product, but they don't have the glass to bottle it and ship it to us," Montoya said.
This is a similar issue that Max Ceaser is facing at Big Whiskeys in the River Market.
The alcohol that he usually uses for their house special is out of stock and changing drink ingredients is far from cheap.
"Even today we had to purchase it in a very strange size, which has caused it to be more expensive, as well as inconvenient," Ceaser said.
Fortunately, he said the delivery truck still runs on time, but the availability is nowhere near where it was pre-pandemic.
Ceaser believes it could be another year before things improve, but he is grateful customers are willing to work with him.
"If it's something that they are definitely used to being able to get, exactly a certain way, at exactly a certain price we make sure it is as comparable as possible," Ceaser said.