SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The Sturgis Liquor Store manager expects drinkers at this year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally to be interested in already having their beverages pre-mixed.
Manager Travis Parker said he’s stocking more ready to drink (RTD) options this year than in prior years. A RTD means the alcoholic beverage and any mixers are already contained in the bottle or can sold to customers.
Based on tourist and local demand already, “we are not selling as many single bottles (of alcohol),” Parker said. He expects the trend will continue for the Aug. 2 – Aug. 11.
The RTDs will make up part the additional inventory Parker will add for the Sturgis Rally.
“We usually run about $370,000 worth of inventory,” Parkers said. He plans to increase that inventory by about $100,000.
From October to about April, the store carries about $350,000 in inventory, Parker said. That increases to about $380,000 in April and May. From June through August the inventory is about $420,000 to $450,000, Parker said.
“It depletes really fast in August,” Parker said.
While rally shoppers will be looking for RTD, they are also big buyers of Jack Daniel’s whiskey, Parker said.
The city-owned liquor store is the exclusive source for Sturgis Rally Jack Daniel’s single barrel decanters. These are engraved decanters special to the Sturgis Rally. Each year features a new logo.
“We usually have five to seven barrels. A barrel holds 240 bottles,” Parker said.
“We do one with the city logo and one with the alternative logo,” Parker said.
The liquor store’s logo is more symbolic of the rally, he said. “It falls in line with what motorcyclists would want,” Parker said.
The special decanters are sold for $49.99 each for a single or two for $84. The price for two is based on what the rally year is. This year is the 84th.
The city store also does engraving on bottles for customers. An engraver is on site and Parker will add another during the rally. A third engraver will come as part of the partnership with Jack Daniel’s, he said.
“We see some of the same people here year after year,” Parker said of customers, including those who want custom engraving.
The more customers buy, the more it can benefit the city. The liquor store recorded about $3.4 million in sales in all of 2023, according to city financial reports.
Parker said the net revenue was about $350,000 last year. “That’s very good for the city and taxpayers,” he said.
The money helps with property taxes, Parker said. It is also used for the city library and community center.
In addition, about $3,000 each year from the engraving revenue is used to fund two separate scholarsips to a technical or vocational school, Parker said.
The store is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily in July. The hours increase to 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily during the rally.
He hires additional staff for the rally. “There is a learning curve,” Parker said. But it helps that cash registers are a point of sale registers. A POS will take orders, process credit cards and track inventory.
Customer traffic comes in waves, Parker said. The store may be quiet for 20 minutes and then, there is a line-up. Some customers come in early because they want to ride early and want their shopping done, while others come in around 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. because they ride later.
