‘We had to Chick-Fil-A it’

For area liquor store, shutdown offers boost in drive-through, walk-in business

ASHDOWN, Ark. — Little River County’s first liquor store since Prohibition opened its doors May 11 to in-store traffic, and the customers have not slowed since.

Bogey’s Wine, Liquor and Beer opened Dec. 21, 2017.

During the shutdown, which began mid-March, patrons began lining up at the drive-through and maintained a steady stream that continues now.

“The shutdown was the start of things being busier than ever,” said Zack Johnson, crew member.

“We had to Chick-Fil-A it,” said Rudene McCombs, dayshift manager. “The car line wrapped around the store — no exaggeration — every single day. We had to go outside, write down orders just to keep it all straight. When the restaurants shut down their dining rooms, we went to drive-through only on the same day. We stayed that way and stayed that busy for six weeks.

“Before the shutdown, that level of business that continuously, we only saw during holidays, though business had steadily been increasing since we opened. But after the shutdown, it sharply kicked up to that level and has not slowed down. There wasn’t much to do during the shutdown for some — except stay home, drink, watch Netflix.”

Rudene McCombs, the day-shift manager, figures customers had time to kill, which previously had

been spent on dining out or other attractions.

“So, with money to kill and time as well, folks were staying in and cracking one open,” she said. “But we thank them for being patient and understanding about the circumstances we were under.”

“No kidding, we really appreciated how good-natured they were,” Johson said. Even though Little River County is no longer dry, there aren’t many places there to get alcoholic beverages.

“This county was dry for the longest time,” said Ben Dillow, crew member and nephew of Freida and Sonny

Brainerd, former owners of Bogey’s. Stephanie Wright, who owns the store now, along with her husband, Bryan, is their daughter. “There is only one other liquor store in the county besides this one now. No bars, as of yet, though there are some private clubs, like a country club, some union halls. The shutdown hit when we normally have a seasonal pickup.”

“Besides folks not having much available to do, I think uncertainty also drove them to us,” McCombs said. “They didn’t know we would be reopening. Every day, they asked us when we would be reopening when they came through the drive-through.”

“We had a soft reopening,” Dillow said. “No advertising; customers just have been slowly figuring it out.”

“I’m so glad they are open again,” said Brooke Austin, customer. “I’m glad their doors are open again.”

Bogey’s is at 125 Webster Drive, Suite E, in Ashdown. For more information, call 870-648-4422, or visit them on Facebook.

Staff photo by Junius Stone ■ Rudene McCombs, day-shift manager at Bogey’s Wine, Liquor and Beer, waits on Brooke Austin as she stocks up for the weekend. Bogey’s has steadily built its customer base since Little River County left its dry status behind in 2017. Sales have exploded since the coronavirus shutdown. Customers have been streaming through drive-through since mid-May and have been coming through the doors since the store reopened on May 11.