WILKES-BARRE — The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Wednesday announced that 77 Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores in counties designated in the yellow phase of COVID-19 mitigation efforts will resume limited in-store public access beginning Friday, May 8.
The 77 stores — none in Luzerne County — will be abiding by guidance for businesses issued by the Wolf Administration detailing social distancing requirements and other best practices in the interest of public health and safety.
The following mitigation efforts will be in place as these stores resume limited in-store public access:
• Stores will limit the number of customers in a store at any time, allowing no more than 25 people (employees and customers) in any location and further restricting numbers of customers in smaller stores.
• The first hour each store is open each day will be reserved for customers at high risk for COVID-19, including those 65 years of age and older. Voluntary compliance from all customers is encouraged in the interest of protecting the health and safety of our most vulnerable community members.
• Customers and employees will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing, guided by signage throughout the stores.
• Signage will also direct customers to follow one-way patterns to avoid cross-traffic and encourage them to refrain from touching products unless they intend to buy them.
• Store employees will perform enhanced and frequent cleaning and disinfecting, and store hours will be modified to ensure appropriate time for cleaning and restocking.
• All sales are final, and no returns will be accepted until further notice.
Prior to opening to the public, each location has been professionally sanitized, and Plexiglas was installed at registers to provide a physical barrier between employees and customers at checkout.
All Fine Wine & Good Spirits employees are being provided masks, gloves and frequent opportunities to wash hands.
The 77 stores resuming limited in-store public access and their hours are identified in a list published by the PLCB, and they are located in the following counties: 4 in Bradford County, 6 in Centre County, 2 in Clarion County, 5 in Clearfield County, 2 in Clinton County, 4 in Crawford County, 2 in Elk County, 15 in Erie County, 2 in Jefferson County, 4 in Lawrence County, 7 in Lycoming County, 2 in McKean County, 5 in Mercer County, 1 in Montour County, 4 in Northumberland County, 1 in Potter County, 1 in Snyder County, 1 in Sullivan County, 3 in Tioga County, 2 in Union County, 3 in Venango County, and 1 in Warren County.
Stores reopening to limited public access will continue offering curbside pickup to the best of their ability, as they operate with limited staff.
Statewide curbside pickup sales from April 20 through May 5 total nearly 381,000 orders for $29.1 million, including sales tax, according to preliminary, unaudited figures.
The PLCB will also continue accepting online orders at FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com, fulfilling orders from more than 100 locations.
According to preliminary, unaudited figures, e-commerce sales at FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com from April 1 through May 5 total 141,500 orders for $13.5 million, excluding sales tax. In fiscal year 2018-19, e-commerce sales between July 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019, totaled 39,000 orders for $5 million.