Maryland restaurants, beer distributors and liquor stores are looking forward to ringing in 2008 with the sound of registers.
“It?s the end of the year, so if you want to make numbers up with your brewers, this is the weekend to do it,” said Betty Buck, owner of beer distributor Buck Distributing Co. in Upper Marlboro.
Buck, also chairwoman of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, said distributors for the nation?s largest brewers agree to sell a certain amount of product at the beginning of the year, and New Year?s can provide a crucial, last-minute boost.
Buck began planning for the weekend in September, and said the end of last week had been busy due to an inconvenient Monday New Year?s Eve.
That same early-week holiday might affect reservations at restaurants and events at clubs and bars as well.
“Because it?s on a Monday, I don?t feel like this New Year?s is going to be the best we?ve ever had, because of the timing,” said Sergio Vitale, co-owner of Aldo?s in Little Italy.
Vitale said the restaurant will offer a four-course, fixed-price dinner, but said he?s received only about 60 percent of capacity for reservations. Had the holiday fallen on a weekend, he said the restaurant would likely be fully booked.
“This month isn?t made or broken by New Year?s,” he said. “It?s sort of like the icing on the cake. December is the busiest month of the year.”
Jay Gernand, owner of Ronnie?s Beverage Warehouse in Forest Hill, said he expected to make 80 percent of his year?s champagne sales in the two days before New Year?s Eve.
Gernand said customers are also more likely to lay out for the top-shelf spirits to mark the holiday.
“Champagnes are expensive, good French champagne starts at $35 or $40 and goes from there,” he said.
But it?s not just champagne that partygoers are after.
“Champagne, beer, everything,” he said. “You have to stock up on everything.”
