Washington Liquor Control Board to Auction Unsold Inventory Today
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Today, the first day of November, at 10 a.m. marks the kickoff of the Washington State Liquor Control Board’s second live auction to clear its leftover inventory. Voters order the state out of retail liquor sales earlier this year.
“We reached out to all eligible licensees, but we don’t yet have an estimate on how many will be there,” said Washington State Liquor Board spokesman Brian Smith. The auction is open to any spirits retailer, distributor, and/or spirits, beer, wine restaurant licensee.
Due to the limited types of alcohol that will be available and questions on pricing, some independent liquor stores in the South Sound expressed little interest.
“It’s too expensive,” said Bob Nino, manager of Liquor & Wine in University Place, “and the packages they’ve made aren’t very good. There’s too much garbage in with the good stuff.”
Some 540 lots will be available for purchase at the auction, which will take place at the WSCLB Distribution Center. The event will include at least 10 lots of exclusive liquors and eight lots of pints, as well as 24,000 mini bottles and 50 different alcohol brands.
Bidders also need to bring a $5,000 cashier’s check for deposit, which will be returned if there is no bid. A complete catalogue of liquor to be auctioned at the event is currently online.
Smith said his agency has no predictions for how much the auction will raise; it will depend on the mood of the buyers.