Tryon council wants to reopen store

After discovering the Columbus ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control) store doesn’t have any interest in merging with Tryon’s store, Tryon Town Council said it wants to make its own store profitable.

Tryon Town Council met Tuesday, Nov. 20 and were updated by town manager Caitlin Martin that Columbus officials said Columbus is not interested in merging at this time and she plans to contact the state ABC commission to let them know.

Tryon’s ABC store was closed in September until the state and town conducted an audit and inventory of the store. Town officials concluded following the inventory that approximately $3,000 worth of inventory was missing from the store. The state recommended that due to lack of revenue, the store either close or merge with Columbus.

Both Tryon’s ABC board and town council have said they think the store could be made profitable and do not want to see it close permanently.

Tryon Commissioner George Baker said with Martin and ABC board members he thinks it could be made profitable. Baker also said the town needs a break on the rent.

“I think between (Martin) and a couple of people on the board, let’s see if we can make this thing possible,” Baker said.

Commissioner Doug Arbogast said one of the store’s problems is its location.

“The location is terrible,” Arbogast said. “I’m for breaking the lease and moving it somewhere else.”