October 27, 2025

Why does North Carolina still have ABC stores?

Venture down the state's ultimate rabbit hole

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Illegal alcohol confiscated by the Asheboro Police Department/ Original photograph archived in the Randolph Room and donated by The Courier-Tribune Newspaper
Illegal alcohol confiscated by the Asheboro Police Department/ Original photograph archived in the Randolph Room and donated by The Courier-Tribune Newspaper
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By Jeremy Markovich
Avatar photo
By Jeremy Markovich

North Carolina is blessed with an untold number of fine writers (which no doubt makes the state’s booze situation even more lamentable.) But it’s agreed from Murphy to Manteo that the one who’s best at chronicling the state’s weirdness is Jeremy Markovich, a longtime journalist who publishes North Carolina Rabbit Hole. Since nothing is weirder than the ABC system, we’re grateful to Jeremy for letting us share his recent overview of its origins.

Right: Man in Marshall, North Carolina with assorted whiskey-making implements in 1921/ Photo in the North Carolina County Photographic Collection, North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

 
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