One Magic Valley town bucks the area's trend in liquor sales

CASTLEFORD — Castleford’s brief Main Street stretch is simple and straightforward.

On one side is a short-order restaurant and cafe, the Baptist church, Duane’s Market and the community center. On the other, two bars stand just yards apart, next to homes with souped-up vehicles parked outside. A few blocks down and across from the community center is Castleford School, home of the Wolves.

It’s a place where residents say people take care of each other and support community events. It’s a town with an agricultural base, one gas pump and a small post office.

And it’s home to surprisingly high liquor sales, according to the Idaho State Liquor Division’s 2010 report.

Sales of state-controlled liquor in Castleford — population 226 — increased from $269 per resident in 2009 to $371 per resident last year. It’s an abnormally high figure during a year that saw south-central Idaho buck a statewide trend of increasing liquor sales. State liquor stores here sold $75.30 worth of booze per resident in 2010, nearly $54,000 less than the $16.1 million sold in 2009.

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