Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is offering a bit of financial relief to those bars and restaurants across the state that have on-premise liquor licenses through a buy-back program.
The Governor this evening signed Executive Order 2020-46, tasking the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) with initiating a spirits buy-back program to offer financial relief to bars and restaurants with on-premises liquor licenses affected by Executive Order 2020-9 during the continuing COVID-19 crisis.
The order empowers the MLCC to use its revolving fund to buy spirits remaining in inventory from bars and restaurants that purchased the spirits prior to March 16, 2020 for their full purchase price. Liquor licensees approved for the program have until 90 days after the state’s emergency and disasters declarations are lifted to re-purchase the spirits from the MLCC.
Whitmer says, “Michigan’s 8,500 on-premises liquor licensees continue to make unprecedented sacrifices to help slow the spread of COVID-19 across our state,” and adds, “This buy-back program will help our bars and restaurants critical to Michigan’s economy weather the storm through this challenging time in our history.”
The Michigan Liquor Control Commission is expected to meet tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14, 2020, to take official action regarding that executive order.
Licensees must make their request no later than this Friday, April 17, 2020, at 5 pm, using the online form on the MLCC website.
To view executive order 2020-46, click the link below:
