Q: I’d like to get a local whiskey for an out-of-town friend as a gift. Are any good?
Kristen: The best I’ve had is Turning Point, out of Kings Mountain. It’s made by Southern Artisan Spirits, the producers of Cardinal Gin. I actually think their barrel-rested gin would be a great gift for a whiskey lover — even though it’s a gin, the wood aging makes it a gin that whiskey lovers would prefer. Some of my favorite North Carolina spirits are Damn Fine Liqueur by Durham Distillery — their chocolate liqueur uses Videri Chocolate out of Raleigh. Another unique option is Krupnikas from Brothers Vilgalys Spirits Company. The spiced honey flavor is fantastic in a fall or winter cocktail.

Q: Do you think we’re out of the woods on restaurant closures due to Covid-19?
Kristen: Yes and no. If we’re talking solely restaurants that won’t survive because of the mandated closures, yes, I think we’re past those, especially with all of the federal and state aid restaurants have seen over the past year. If the Delta variant causes mandated closures again — something many business owners tell me they believe is unlikely — we’ll have a different narrative. The ongoing issues caused by the pandemic, however, will continue to challenge restaurants, and I believe that may still bring closures: a lack of labor and increasing labor costs, increasing food costs, and the added expense of protective equipment and sanitization. There’s also the cost of closing down restaurants due to Covid-19 exposure, which will begin to happen more rapidly again as it spreads. We’re already seeing that; both Dot Dot Dot and What the Fries had to close in the past week due to exposure.

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