CONCORD, N.H. — Coming off a year of record sales, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission is looking at plans to expand its retail stores, including opening one at the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport this fall.
Other plans are to open or revitalize stores this year in Chesterfield, Manchester, Portsmouth, Hampton, Hooksett and Warner. And there have been discussions to open kiosks in malls during the holidays and set up a temporary store at the New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon. The hope is for the airport store to be open by Oct. 15. People would be allowed to take their purchases on the plane.
The commission recently reported a 4.5 percent increase in net sales in 2010, for a total of $534 million. That was an increase of about $23 million over the previous year. Sales were up overall at the state's 76 liquor and wine outlet stores, as well as in restaurants and grocery stores.
Commission Chairman Joseph Mollica attributes to the success to strong advertising in New Hampshire and in surrounding states, where about half of its business comes from. Also, travel and spending habits have changed with the uncertain economy.
"In tougher economic times, people tend to stay close to home, so the local residents that may have traveled somewhere else in the country to spend their money during the summer months or during the holiday months are staying at home and spending their money at home and doing day trips," he said.
New Hampshire is one of 18 states that regulate the sale and retailing of alcohol. It's always looking for ways to broaden its business. One program in place for a little over a year is "power buys" with vineyards across the country and overseas willing to sell their products to the state at a discounted price.
"We've bought a lot of obscure vintages and a lot of great wines at great prices, and to this point we've done almost $4 million in sales in that program alone," Mollica said.
Mollica said the commission has studied what customers buy in particular stores and focused on offering those products at those locations. It has moved some of its stores from obscure locations to more prominent ones and upgraded them.
One of the new stores, in Nashua, was built near an old one that will close. It recently came under fire after some people complained that parking spaces specifically for hybrid vehicles were closer to the entrance than spaces for the handicapped. The parking spots were part of effort to achieve a high Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design score for the building, which incorporated other green practices, such as solar panels, geo-thermal heating and cooling and LED lighting.
Mollica asked the state Commission on Disabilities to review the store's parking plan to ensure it provides optimal accessibility for people with disabilities. He said the plan will be changed as soon as the old building is torn down.
"Once the building is taken down and everything is done, I think people will be more than satisfied with the parking arrangement," he said.