“It’s a big game changer”: Bladen County business owner reacts to alcohol sales vote

AMMON, NC (WWAY)– A Bladen County couple, who is among several small business owners who have been pushing for alcohol sales in unincorporated parts of Bladen County, can now call their efforts a success.  

The measure passed in last week’s election.   

“We really just wanted the same accessibility for the community as in town does. It’s a big game changer for not just my store, but any store that is in the county and not in city limits, that we can now sell alcohol,” said Casey Shumaker, KC Store and Grill Owner.  

Two years ago, Casey Shumaker and her husband moved from Florida, and opened the KC Store And Grill in Ammon.   

They say they were shocked to learn that unincorporated areas of Bladen County were dry, and quickly began to push for change. Their efforts, along with others, ultimately resulted in the referendum being added to the ballot.  

“It’s a game changer. The extra revenue will hopefully enable us to ultimately put fuel pumps in here at one point or another, but just the extra revenue alone. It’ll keep people from driving 20, 25 minutes into town instead of just coming into their local stores to buy their beer,” said Shumaker.  

Shumaker says the change will also keep the tax money in the county, rather than the city limits.  

Shumaker says that in just a little under a week, they have already had more traffic in and out of their store as a result of alcohol sales being allowed in unincorporated areas like Ammon.