Maryland Spirits Month

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

Alcohol Beverage Services, a department of Montgomery County, MD, partnered with the Maryland Distillers Guild to promote the month of November 2020 as Maryland Spirits Month. ABS is the wholesaler for the County and operates 25 beer, wine, and spirits stores and one spirits only store in Poolesville. A multifaced program was implemented to raise awareness of local, Maryland Made, alcohol distillers and help support these small businesses. The initiative was created in response to a need for local business support after the COVID-19 pandemic left many of these local businesses struggling.This program included 10% off discount in stores, creation of a new Instagram account, web page creation and the development and promotion of digital assets for use on ABS social media accounts and though weekly retail email blasts reaching nearly 30,000 residents a week. The program supported a sales growth rate of 288%, or a $57,000 sales increase, in comparison to November of 2019.Though partnership, ABS boosted retail sales for local distilleries and created a marketing strategy that helped promote these products. This program will serve as a future model to help boost additional local small businesses and in turn benefit the County’s local economy.