AC Quickstop opens Bethel’s first liquor store since ’70s

AC Quickstop liquor store Bethel
Opening day of the AC Quickstop liquor store in Bethel on Tuesday. (Photo by Geraldine Brink/KYUK)

AC Quickstop opened Bethel’s first liquor store since the city banned alcohol sales in 1977.

The store opened at 11 a.m. Tuesday. At a quarter till, a line of about 10 people were waiting for the historic doors to open.

“I want to be the first customer that walked into the liquor store in Bethel after 40 years. I’m going to hold onto the receipt as well. I’ll plaque it. And say, hey, ‘This is to lifted prohibition,’” said Corey Stelmach.

Stelmach is turning 40 this month, and this is the first time he could legally buy spirits in Bethel. Once the doors opened, he had competition from Mike McIntyre to be the first customer.

“I’m buying Alaskan Amber, trying to beat Corey here to be the first one,” McIntyre said.

McIntyre is at one cash register, Stelmach is at the other.

“We’ll consider ourselves the first ones,” Stelmach said.

They pull out receipts to compare times; they both say 11:01.

“I bought one bottle of Jameson, one bottle of Crown Royal, and two six packs of Corona. And I’m going to go enjoy them right now,” said Stelmach.

Toni Tony is right behind them, buying a box of wine. She’s with her wife Christine Nick.

They won’t be enjoying the wine together.

“I am glad to say I’m happily sober,” Nick said. “I’ve been sober more than seven to eight years.”

The liquor store opening made her mad at first.

“But I can’t do anything about it. I’m always there for her,” Nick said.

James Kelly came with the couple. He’s Tony’s cousin and is hopeful that the liquor store will be a good thing for the community.

“It’ll deter bootleggers to bootleg,” Kelly said.

The store’s already helped Jeremy Lee, one of the new security personnel. Lee had spent seven months applying for jobs before getting hired.

“I’m happy where I am,” Lee said. “Cause now I can feed my kids more, and I can support my family. I’m looking at it as a family man.”

Lee said Bethel is in a new era. Those old times over 40 years ago when things got so bad that Bethel banned alcohol sales — he calls those the immature years.

But not everyone is so sure. Ignace Matthies bought a six-pack of Alaskan Amber, but said he’s torn about what legal sales mean for Bethel.

“It’s kinda really uncomfortable. It’s going to be hard for the community,” Matties said.

 

Bethel lifted its ban on alcohol sales seven years ago. The public was also conflicted, citing fatigue with the stiff penalties of restricted sales but not really embracing legal sales. A community vote in 2010 showed a majority of people opposed legal alcohol sales. But that trend reversed last year when another vote showed a majority supported sales, but only for a package store like AC. The Quickstop received its license a month later.

The liquor store is a small white box, a former storage area. Wine, beer and spirits line the few shelves behind the service counter. Walter Pickett, AC general manger, said the selection is a fifth of what it’ll be in the fall when the store completes its more than $1 million renovation and expansion. For now, he said it’s mostly bestsellers from their other stores.

“Spirits? R&R is the best seller. The best seller on the beer is Budweiser by far. Coors Lite is second there. And then our customers do like box wine, because it’s portable,” Pickett said.

There were three people behind the counter, two people ready to grab stock, two security guys, and a host of four managers, plus Pickett. He said he had so many personnel out of caution.

Reno Moore in AC Quickstop liquor store
Reno Moore pulling stock on opening day of the AC Quickstop liquor store. (Photo by Geraldine Brink/KYUK)

“Making sure we had enough people to ensure the transactions were orderly and that it didn’t get overwhelmed in here,” he said.

Pickett said the opening wasn’t exactly the mad rush they were preparing for. Others in town are also bracing for possible impacts. Both the Bethel police and fire chiefs expect call volume will increase with the store’s opening. Facebook comments predict inevitable death and abuse. But no one knows what’s going to happen.

One of the first customers, John McIntyre, who bought a six-pack of Blue Moon and a bottle of rum, said whatever does happen will say a lot about Bethel.

“I do think it’s time we grew up. There’s legal booze sales in Dillingham, McGrath, Nome, Kotzebue. If it doesn’t work here it’s us, not the booze,” McIntyre said.

The store earned about $1,350 in the first hour and served more than 500 customers throughout the day.

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