PANGUITCH, Utah — Pat Gumz is used to driving long distances to get a drink in Utah.
"I like to have my wine at night — and sometimes during the day," she joked to FOX 13 News as she picked up a box of wine.
Gumz, who lives in Antimony, stopped by the newly-opened Boots & Booze Liquor in Panguitch. It's her closest liquor store.
"The closest place we had to go to was Cedar City," Gumz explained. "For us, that’s an hour-and-a-half. The other one was Richfield. Then they closed down. So I came here and now I'm happy because it’s only like 35, 40 minutes for me."
The store, which is a "package agency" that contracts with Utah's Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services, opened a couple of weeks ago. Before that, Panguitch had no liquor store for about a month after the previous package agency closed. That had a ripple effect on the local community, including restaurants who relied on the shop for their supplies.
"All the businesses and locals were having to go over to Cedar City to that liquor store to pick up their supply," said Matt Lamas, one of the owners of Boots & Booze. "So it was putting a damper on their business to get alcohol."
Package agencies operate in a unique space in Utah where the state legislature doesn't fund a full-time liquor store in an area. As contractors, they sell beer, wine and spirits provided by the DABS. But they can do things a state-run liquor store doesn't. For example, they can sell mixers and accessories. They are often found in smaller towns or resorts that see a lot of tourism.
"We are independent. We are not state employees as the liquor stores are," said Sydnee Lamas, one of the owners. "Everything’s owned and operated on our end."
In a community like Panguitch, a place like Boots & Booze Liquor is more important than many might think.
"We have close to 70% of the people that come through Garfield County are visitors, like international visitors," said Falyn Owens, who is the county's tourism director and a member of the DABS commission. "It’s extremely important. They’re hiking. They want to get a drink after. These are vital for our rural communities."
But the DABS has faced issues with keeping package agencies recently. FOX 13 News has reported on changes that have had package agency operators frustrated, arguing that expenses are being dumped on them and changes to contracts have made it difficult to make a living. The DABS has been sued over some issues. In the past few years, stores have closed temporarily in Fillmore, Delta, Helper, Payson, Panguitch, Eureka and Richfield until new contractors stepped forward.
On Thursday, the DABS commission unanimously approved a new business model designed to help keep package agencies in business. Where the agency previously required contractors to pay for bottles ordered and then sell them, they will switch to a "consignment model."
"The idea is to improve their earning capacity and, in part, allow them to not have to pay for the product until it’s actually sold," said DABS Commissioner Ericka Evans.
The DABS hopes the shift in business strategy will help package agencies be able to make more as they sell more.
"We’re really excited about this model. The hope is yes, it better supports these package agencies," Evans said. "They know their communities better than anybody else."
Sydney Lamas said she believed the shift to a consignment model will help Boots & Booze Liquor and other package agencies across Utah.
"We pay just based on the actual sale of the bottle, so I think it’s going to be great," she said.
