The Tourism Department is looking to increase the offerings at the Spotsylvania Visitors Center Gift Shop, located at 4704 Southpoint Pkwy, by adding inventory from local businesses, including wine & beer. The Tourism Department would like to purchase and re-sell bottled wine and beer from wineries & breweries located in Spotsylvania County including: Lake Anna Winery, Wilderness Run Winery, Bacchus Winery, Eden Try Winery, Mattaponi Winery, 1781 Brewery Maltese Brewing Co.
BENEFITS: Adding inventory to the Gift Shop will increase the number of patrons served at the Visitors Center, while also supporting local business and commerce. This will also be a convenience to local citizens and visitors, as it will allow buyers to purchase products from all of the local wineries/breweries in one location.
RESEARCH: If approved, the Spotsylvania Visitors Center would be the third locality in the Commonwealth to offer local wine/beer within their Gift Shop, following Winchester and Halifax. Both Winchester Visitors Center & Halifax Visitors Center have found success in the purchasing and re-selling of local bottled spirits. Winchester sells local wine, beer, cider and meads, while Halifax sells wine and beer. Both localities have found an increase in their visitation and have profited financially from the selling of these items (Winchester quoted their annual average income is $30,000 on the selling of local spirits). Neither Winchester nor Halifax have recorded any negative instances in regards to the selling of spirits. In order to legally purchase and sell bottled wine/beer, the Visitors Center would need to obtain a Wine & Beer Off-premise License from the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. This license allows the Visitors Center to purchase wines/beers from a third-party distributor recognized by the ABC Authority (Virginia Wine Distribution Company & The Virginia Beer Co.) and re-sell the merchandise. THIS LICENSE DOES NOT ALLOW FOR UNBOTTLING, POURING OR CONSUMING OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ON THE VISITORS CENTER PREMISES. The ABC Authority requires a personal guaranty from a County Official for the license. All staff overseeing, handling, purchasing and selling alcohol will be over the age of 21 (ABC does allow the selling of alcohol by someone under the age of 21, if an ABC Manager is on-site). The Visitors Center will sell bottles at a profit in order to offset some of the costs of the licensing fees. All staff selling wine/beer will take an online training course from the ABC Authority.
ACTION: If approved, the Visitors Center will stock 1-2 cases of wine/beer from each winery/brewery (preferably the top selling red and white). Stock will be held at the Visitors Center in a locked, temperature controlled storage area. One bottle of each of the offerings will be on display in the Gift Shop. Signage will be purchased notifying patrons of valid ID checks. All Visitors Center counselors selling wine/beer will take an online training course from the ABC Authority.