“Beer supplies should be guaranteed, because beer helps people get through quarantine on better terms,” the National Alliance of Small Business said in a press statement Tuesday. First, on April 6, the Agriculture Department sent a letter to major breweries that could be read as inviting them to restart production. The beer industry chamber, while it declined to comment on the debate, is pushing the idea of home delivery of existing stocks of suds. The government’s strict stance also isn’t convincing the small business chamber, which said that 40% of small shops' total sales volume is beer. He asked how he would be able to sell beer to his customers if his suppliers kept raising the price.

But diving into the issue more closely, the reasons why liquor stores remain open and thriving become a little clearer, even if they are debatable to some. Here are five reasons why it can be beneficial for liquor stores to remain open during the pandemic. Given this, liquor stores technically fall under the category of “food and agriculture” on the level of grocery stores and pharmacies, and thus, are considered essential. Grocery stores don’t have the selection of liquor stores. Do you agree that liquor stores should be considered essential, and thus, be allowed to remain open?