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We're Open: Marcello's takes alcohol sales curbside

Posted at 6:51 AM, Mar 30, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-30 07:51:51-04

As you've no doubt seen, no industry in unaffected by the coronavirus.

And even though the owners of Marcello's can say "We're Open", there is indeed plenty of anxiety of what the future holds.

"There's no end in sight where people can see exactly when its going to end," said Carlos Todaro manager of Marcello's. "That's the worst part of this whole situation."

Uncertainty aside, Marcello's Wine Market has been doing pretty well over the past few weeks.

Some of it, Todaro said, might be rooted in the very place of alcohol in our history.

"They are parts of the history of humanity. People have been drinking wine and beer for thousands of years, going back to Egyptian times, maybe even earlier, who knows?"

In non-corona times, most customers would walk into the shop-look around, study labels and ask for recommendations.

But now, with only curbside service and no customers being allowed inside the store, the browsing option is gone.

"Most of them rely on true and tried brands they're familiar with, they're not trying any new products and i feel like it's a harbinger of things to come in the future," said Todaro. "People going back to more familiar products in the future, my opinion."

Hot products are 190-proof Everclear and Diesel which many customers are buying to create homemade hand sanitizer.

READ MORE: Local wine market provides recipe for sanitizer

Cleanliness is also a top priority item inside Marcello's.

"We have been wiping, wiping, cleaning and sanitizing and so on and wiping some more," said Todaro.

Todaro added that all of this, too, shall pass.

In the meantime, Marcello's is "open" and he is extremely grateful to the customers who continue to support him, particularly during this trying time.

"People are very understanding, some are a little concerned. They've been very careful and hopeful and they hope everything is going to turn out well for everybody," he said.

Liquor sales are down a bit this week, but Carlos shared a message for his customers out there: buy local, buy local, buy local.