Evening star., 1933-12-07
new YORK LIQUOR
SHOPS THRONCED
1000 Sales an Hour Regis.
tered at Department Stores.
Restaurants Jammed.
Sy the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press. =
NEW YORK, December 7.-Business
was popping around town today with
al the pep Of q cork from q bottle Of
champagne.
Activity at liquor warehouses made
the places look like the bleacher en-
trance to the Polo Grounds at q world
series game.
Wine and liquor stores were SO busy
one Of them had to call the police to
disperse lines of customers at closing
time.
Smart hotels were gleefully reporting
record business. Some, despite large
stocks Of liquor, found their supplies
near exhaustion even before the cock
tail hour yesterday.
Drivers Of liquor trucks worked as
long as "a hours at a stretch-tired but
glad. One wine firm had made deliv-
cries Of 10000 cases early today and
was still far behind In filling orders.
Wine Demand Large.
Department stores selling liquor found
their aisleS packed like a rush-hour
subway train. Most customers asked
Tor rye, but If there was no rye they
took gin; and If no gin, then brandy.
The demand for wines was surpris-
1ngly large, Claret and sherry were the
favorites, but ports and tokays had
their enthusiasts. Even the upper
strata beverages-the sparkling burgun-
dies and champagnes-were moving of
dealers shelves at lively speed.
Macy's cash register marked 1900
liquor sales an hour. The sidewalks in
front Of Gimbel's were jammed, and
the sales force was quickly augmented
60 that here, too, an hourly figure Of
1000 sales could be handled.
The line in front of Bloomingdale's
was four abreast. The liquor depart
n1ent noted 10000 sales when the clos
ing bell sounded last night.
Imported Scotch was not to be had
In package late yesterday afternoon,
the supply having been quickly COB
bled up-or down. Liners and freight
ers are arriving daily with cargoes from
Europe. The Cameronia of the Anchor
Line will dock Monday with $4,000
cases, which Is the largest to date.
Cocktails Being Served.
Wines from the California wineries
are pouring in by the carload and are
dnding q strong demand.
Signs reading cocktails are now
being served" decorate the windows of
restaurants. The Childs restaurant
chain is serving beer and wines between
am. and pm, with cocktails after
that hour
Prices are under the speakeasy scale
IN most places. Domestic wines are Of
fered as low as 20 cents glass. Cock
tails range from 30 to so cents.
A shortage Of expert dispensers has
been noticeable. An order for a dry
martini cocktail at one restaurant re-
quired 20 minutes in fulfillment and
finally arrived with a red cherry
nesting, bewildered outcast, where q
green olive should have been.
The snap-up Of business was con-
tagious, with other lines Of trade show
ing better figures on the sales tape:
"A demand for beer more authorita-
tive than. 80 was promptly met, the
new percentages running between and
8 per cent,
Restaurant Crowds Grow.
Gloom that was thick enough to cut
with b broadsword hung about the
speakeasy belt-the forties and Mites
Most OF the spots that were considered
very la-de-da during prohibition were
dark last night, the proprietors eau
tiously awaiting licenses Some that
were open found business disappoint-
ing. the trade having veered toward
the grills Of the leading taverns and
hostelries.
The Park Lane, with its baron
wheels, had yesterday the largest
luncheon crowd it ever had. The Bilt-
more reported the greatest luncheon
crowd since the armistice and the Com
modore the same. The Pennsylvania
had the joyous experience Of observing
customers waiting in line at the dining
rooms. The Astor, the Waldorf Astoria
and other leading Manhattan hotels
told the same story.