We’ve all been experiencing something never seen before in our lifetimes—and we hope never to see it again. As the Covid-19 pandemic began to grip the nation in March, the lights went out on a vast expanse of the U.S. economy. In our industry, the crisis became a tale of two cities. The retail trade was among the few bright spots on the economic landscape, with supermarkets, big box stores, and liquor retailers seeing unprecedented sales spikes. E-commerce providers also saw their moment arrive, as self-isolating wine and spirits lovers shopped online in droves. In the on-premise, however, the situation couldn’t have been worse, as shuttered restaurants and bars were reduced to offering, at best, takeout and delivery only—a thin lifeline that brought in only a fraction of normal sales.…
