Back in Black: Ocracoke ABC Store
ABC board chair Keith Parker-Lowe reported that the board has cash in the bank, a good selection of inventory, and is ahead on payments to the state liquor board. The board was recently approved to receive a bank loan, should cash flow become a problem in the future, said Parker-Lowe.
"We carried through with the plan implemented last February, tightened overhead, and stayed with the new mix of inventory," said Parker-Lowe.
The Ocracoke store "always had high employee turnover," said Parker-Lowe. One year as many as thirty W2 tax forms were issued by the board. Stronger leadership, regular meetings, and hiring employees invested in Ocracoke, rather than "the lastest transient passing through" has helped stabilize the store, he said. Ocracoke native Lynette Waller returned to a position as clerk earlier this year.
While the ABC board is not legally obligated to publicize positions, Finance Officer Andrew Spencer was hired in December 2011, after the position was advertised for 30 days at the Post Office, said Parker-Lowe. The finance officer earns $12/hour and takes care of some duties while also serving as clerk in the Ocracoke store.
In the future the board would like to own, rather than rent, a store on Ocracoke. They also hope to increase revenues at the Swan Quarter store, which has a larger year round base of potential customers. A more welcoming, self-service store on the mainland could keep business in the county rather than seeing revenues go to neighboring Beaufort and Dare counties, said Parker-Lowe.
