Virginia state-owned liquor stores sell nearly $1 billion

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia’s state-owned liquor stores had nearly $1 billion in sales last fiscal year.

A new report to state lawmakers from the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control says the state’s ABC stores had $940.1 million in sales last year. That’s up from $897.6 million the year before.

The department said it made $171.7 million in profits in fiscal 2017, up about $6.9 million from fiscal 2016.

Virginia is one of more than a dozen states that manages the sale and distribution of liquor.