90 YEARS OF NHLC
90 YEARS OF NHLC
THE NHLC CELEBRATES
90 YEARS
The New Hampshire Liquor Commission toasts nine decades of operations in 2024 with a yearlong campaign named “ 90 Years of Cheers .” It ’ s a fitting title for a control organization that ’ s much celebrated by industry peers , New Hampshire residents and the streams of tourists who flow into Granite State and frequent its world-class stores .
Live in New England and you likely think of New Hampshire for three things : skiing , gorgeous mountains and lakes , and NHLC stores that are as well stocked and priced as they are beautifully designed . But these shops , while always boasting low prices thanks to the state ’ s lack of a sales tax , were not always known for their aesthetics . Much the opposite . As recently as the 2000s , even the largest and most popular NHLC outlets — those off the highways en route to the tourist areas — had the appearance of a rest stop store .
That all changed in the 2010s . NHLC Chairman Joseph Mollica was appointed to the commission ( then a three-person body ) in 2010 and began serving as its chairman in 2011 .
by KYLE SWARTZ
A year later , he started an ambitious project that redesigned the state stores — an enormous success that resonates today .
REDESIGNING THE STORES
Before becoming chairman , Mollica was a licensee in New Hampshire . He operated restaurants in the state for many years . One of his customers was a state senator , with whom Mollica shared his frustrations with the NHLC . This included Mollica ’ s difficulty tracking down fine wines , which required that he drive to a store farther away from his local location , an annoying , time-consuming task for a busy businessman .
In turn , that state senator introduced Mollica to former Governor John Lynch . The governor listened to Mollica , and later tapped the restaurateur to join and then lead the NHLC . “ He told me that he wanted me to run the commission like it was my business ,” Mollica recalls .
Any successful business requires good branding . Here , the NHLC was in dire need of a redo . “ I took off creating a new
10 StateWays • Winter 2024 www . stateways . com