New York liquor stores are considered 'essential' businesses, will stay open

(Image credit: Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

last updated 20 March 2020

Liquor may, indeed, be essential to getting thorough this COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, New York has determined.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced Friday all nonessential businesses in the state must close beginning this Sunday, ordering all employees to stay at home. Essential businesses that are exempt from this rule include grocery stores and pharmacies. But New Yorkers everywhere cried out in terror as they wondered whether liquor stores would have to close their doors statewide.

Fear not, the New York State Liquor Store Association declared Friday: not even a global pandemic will prevent them from staying open. New York, evidently, has deemed liquor stores an "essential" business, according to a recent executive order from Cuomo giving this classification to "all food and beverage stores," and they'll therefore be allowed to continue operating, per The New York Daily News.

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In recent days, New York liquor stores have reportedly been experiencing a heavy amount of business, with one in Brooklyn describing consistent New Year's Eve levels of activity to New York Magazine. "The depth of panic-buying is kind of surprising," proprietor Mark Schwartz said. Now, with the state's go-ahead for New Yorkers to drink up amid the growing coronavirus crisis, The Washington Examiner's Siraj Hashmi joked, "This is how you stop anarchy right in its tracks."

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

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