Despite the COVID-19 pandemic — or maybe because of it — North Carolina liquor sales jumped nearly 12% in the fiscal year that ended June 30, to a new record of nearly $1.37 billion.

It’s normal for the sales to grow and set a new record annually — sales have set records for the past five years, the North Carolina ABC Commission said — but this jump was much higher than normal. In the prior five fiscal years, the sales growth averaged 7.14% annually, according to data on the ABC Commission website.

The jump largely came in the spring with a dramatic increase in retail over-the-counter sales at the state’s government-owned liquor stores, the managers of two local alcoholic beverage control systems said. It started in March when Gov. Roy Cooper shut down bars and restaurants and closed businesses that were considered to be “nonessential” in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus.