2019Q2SpiritedVA - 11

Raeshawn Smith, Lead Sales Associate, Store 425, Alexandria

R

BILLY FELLIN

SPOTLIGHT ON SERVICE

aeshawn "Rae" Smith may not have
envisioned working at Virginia ABC when
he was younger.
He also may not have foreseen himself
playing Division I college football.
But, both at the same time? It may seem
crazy, but Smith pulled it off during his time
at the College of William and Mary and at
Virginia ABC Store 320. Recently, Smith
became the Lead Sales Associate at Store
425 in Alexandria.

How did you balance playing football and
working at the store?
It was definitely tough. I tried to work around
my football schedule. That's my first priority.
I had football six days a week. So, in season,
I'd work once or twice a week. That's all I had
time for. In the offseason, I'm able to work a
lot more. I still had training in the offseason,
but that isn't as time consuming. It's just
a matter of finding the time when you can
work and being mentally tough to get it done.

How did you become interested in working
for Virginia ABC?
Before I was 21, one of my coworkers at a
movie theater had told me that he had started
working for ABC and that it was a really good
job. Once I turned 21, I thought about that
and it was the first thing that came to mind.
I applied and the rest is history.

How do you go about interacting with
customers and the products?
The products sells themselves. You don't
have to do much upselling. A lot of the times,
people know what they want. As long as you
have an idea of what those products entail,
they're pretty easy to sell.

What's a typical day like for you?
I work on the floor a lot. I work the register as
well. I do a little bit of everything, like picking
out bottles from customer special orders or
helping customers find the products that
they are searching for.

What's your favorite part about working
at ABC?
My coworkers. They've always been really
down to earth. The ABC team welcomed
me with open arms ever since my first day.
It's like they'd known me for a long time. My
coworkers have really stood out to me. It's a
really good work environment. I felt at home
as soon as I got here.
-Billy Fellin

KOPPER KETTLE
BONDED
VIRGINIA
WHISKEY

Kopper Kettle Bonded Virginia
Whiskey is made from grains
grown on our farm (corn, wheat
and barley). Our grains are
carefully milled, cooked and
distilled, also barreled and stored
on premises by the same master
distiller in a federally bonded
distillery and warehouse and
bottled at 100 proof, guaranteed 4
years old, thus making it bonded.
Kopper Kettle Bonded Whiskey is
indeed a "handcrafted", "grain to
glass" premium product.

belmontfarmdistillery.com
OPEN FOR TOURS APRIL THRU DEC.

Tues thru Sat. 11am to 4pm

540-825-3207
SPIRITED VIRGINIA | APRIL | MAY | JUNE 2019 11
http://www.belmontfarmdistillery.com
2019Q2SpiritedVA

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