ABC expands liquor delivery to include Chesapeake store
CHESAPEAKE — More Virginians will get the chance to have liquor shipped to their homes soon. The state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control authority is expanding its pilot program for liquor delivery to include more stores, including one in Chesapeake.
The Bennett’s Creek store in Suffolk was part of the first round of stores that were part of the pilot program that launched in May. Now, store no. 349 at 237 South Battlefield Blvd. in Chesapeake will make deliveries as well.
The delivery radius is 25 miles, so between the two stores, much of Hampton Roads is covered.
The program also will be expanded to customers in parts of Richmond and Northern Virginia.
ABC looked at target areas with high population density and stores that could meet the demand, said Dawn Eischen, an ABC spokesperson.
The Suffolk store filled 468 delivery orders from when it launched in late May through this week, according to the ABC. It’s about $42,681 in sales, or about
1,700 bottles. The most popular: vodka and whiskey. Smirnoff vodka 80 proof and Tito’s Handmade vodka were the top sellers, with more than 100 bottles sold of each.
The Suffolk store’s radius includes not just Suffolk, but much of Hampton, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Norfolk, Newport News, and some western portions of Virginia Beach.
Orders can only be placed online at abc.virginia.gov. Customers should select either Suffolk store 377 or Chesapeake store 349, add the products to their cart and select “ship to my home” in the checkout screen.
If an order is placed Monday through Thursday before 2 p.m., it will be delivered the next day. Orders placed after 2 p.m. are not guaranteed to be delivered the next day. Orders placed Friday through Sunday may take two to three days to be delivered. Shipping is done by UPS. The orders must have a $10 minimum order and up to 12 bottles may be purchased. A $10 flat rate for shipping and $2.50 per bottle will be charged.
Specialty items won’t be available for delivery.