By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Staff
Cherokee will soon have its own ABC store. The Tribal Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (TABCC) for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) is currently working on the Tribal ABC Store which it hopes to open in early March.
The store, located at the upper end of downtown Cherokee adjacent to the old Cherokee Elementary School property, will initially be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays.
Members of the Tribal Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (TABCC) meet at the site of the new Tribal ABC Store in Cherokee on the afternoon of Tuesday, Feb. 15. Shown, left to right, are TABCC Chairman Pepper Taylor, Sabrina Arch, Shannon Ross, Mara Nelson, and Mitch Littlejohn. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
“This has been a long time coming,” said Pepper Taylor, TABCC chair, who noted he is excited that the store is getting ready to open.
Shannon Ross, TABCC member, said, “We’re trying to make money with something other than gaming.”
Marnina Queen has been selected to be the store manager. “I’m so excited to come onto this project. I’ve done this for over 16 years. The money is going to come back into this area, so we want to make sure that everybody is proud of it and it has a great blend.”
Queen, originally from Sylva, is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and comes to the store with a wealth of experience in the alcohol business. “I’ve been doing this for over 16 years. Coming back home is wonderful and especially to set up something that I know is going to generate so much money for the Tribe – and, do it responsibly with trained personnel.”
She spent four years with the N.C. ABC Commission in the Education Commission traveling around the state teaching people about alcohol laws and policies. She has also worked in several other places including being the first female chief executive officer of the ABC system in Hanover.
“I’m happy to be here,” said Queen. “I’m honored to have been chosen to start this project. It’s been a lot of hours, and I’m really happy with how it’s come along.”
The venture has created jobs including four full-time and three part-time store jobs, and all but one employeehired are EBCI tribal members. Queen noted, “I’m so excited because my team is excited. I love to build great teams, and I love to do great things together. They’re really excited to start.”
Responsible selling will be paramount at the store. “The staff is brand new. A lot of them don’t have any alcohol experience. So, one of the things in our training that we’ve been going over is responsible alcohol sales. That’s our number one priority. So, not selling to underage and don’t sell to those who are intoxicated.”
Queen said of the store, “We wanted to make sure that we have specialties, ready-to-drinks, and I think that we gave a little more shelf space in this store so that we could have a bigger variety. We don’t have a lot of display space because we wanted space for a lot of product on the shelves.”
The store will only sell liquor – no beer nor wine sales are permitted. “In the State of North Carolina, your liquor store has to be a liquor store only. You can’t sell a glass, a straw, anything else. Your only sales must come from liquor.”
Queen also noted of the pricing which is controlled by the state, “We have state pricing. So, it’s the same price here as it is in Wilmington, as it is in Raleigh.”
Outreach is important to the TABCC. Mitch Littlejohn, commission member, said, “Part of our mandate is to help the youth and educate about the dangers of underage drinking. We sponsor the Prom Promise, DARE, and MADD.”
During its weekly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 15, the TABCC approved several sponsorships and donations for groups including the Qualla Boundary Senior Games, Special Olympics of N.C. Qualla Boundary program, and recreation programs at Cherokee Middle School.
According to information in a memorandum from the TABCC, “Since 2011, the TABCC has been warehousing and regulating the sale of alcoholic beverages on tribal lands. Prior to the referendum which passed in September 2021, the only locations which would hold ABC permits were located within 1.5 miles of an on-ramp to the Blue Ridge Parkway which was designated as an ABC Tourism area.”
The sale of alcoholic beverages in that area was attributed to what many refer to as the Blue Ridge Law.
The TABCC recently lifted a 30 percent administrative fee for beer and wine sales to help local retailers compete with off-Boundary establishments. According to the memo, the revised policy states, “The only permittees the 30 percent fee applies to are permittees which hold on-premises ABC permits. An on-premises ABC permit is any ABC permit that allows the alcoholic beverage to be sold, delivered, and consumed on the premises of the permittee.”
The memo continues, “Currently, the Tribe allows the sale, delivery, and consumption of malt beverages, unfortified wines, and fortified wines at any location on tribal lands so long as the applicant qualifies for the permit and the location is appropriate in compliance with the provisions of Article 9 of Chapter 18B of the Cherokee Code.”
Businesses cannot be located within 50 feet of a church nor a school.
The following businesses/entities hold current on-premises ABC permits issued by the TABCC:
- Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel
- Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
- Bravo Brio Restaurant
- Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino and Hotel (Murphy)
- Sassy Sunflowers Baker and Café
- UltraStar Multi-tainment Center
- Wise Guyz Grille
- Native Brews Tap and Grill
- Little Princess Restaurant
The following businesses/entities hold current off-premises ABC permits issued by the TABCC:
- Ric’s Smoke Shop
- Food Lion Cherokee
- River Valley Store Inc.
- Big Bear Exxon
- Mountain Energy #1403
- Mountain Energy #1406
The Chestnut Tree Inn holds a special occasion permit, and the new The Cherokee Tower Shop at Harrah’s Cherokee holds both off-premises and on-premises permits.
