CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for beer, wine and liquor stores in Bay City, MI
Beer, wine and liquor stores in the Bay City, MI metro area: 15 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 4-person team.
- Establishments
- 15CBP 2023
- Employees
- 66mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 14.6U.S. 10.7
- Rank
- 273rd of 780areas by count
How many beer, wine and liquor stores are in Bay City, MI?
The Census Bureau's 2023 County Business Patterns lists 15 establishments classified as Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores (NAICS 445310) in the Bay City, MI metro area. They employed 66 people in mid-March and paid $1,185,000 in annual payroll. By establishment count the area is 273rd out of 780 areas with published figures for beer, wine and liquor stores.
Measured against its 103,000 residents (2024 estimate), the area has 14.6 beer, wine and liquor stores per 100,000 people; the U.S. rate is 10.7, so Bay City, MI is 36.4% above the national figure. The average establishment here has 4.4 employees, compared with 5.3 nationally. Payroll per employee comes to $17,955, 36.2% below the national $28,143.
| Measure | Bay City, MI | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 15 | 1,578 | 36,433 |
| Mid-March employees | 66 | 6,252 | 193,533 |
| Annual payroll | $1,185,000 | $157,008,000 | $5,446,519,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 4.4 | 4.0 | 5.3 |
| Payroll per employee | $17,955 | $25,113 | $28,143 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 14.6 | 15.6 | 10.7 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
How big beer, wine and liquor stores in Bay City, MI are
Of the beer, wine and liquor stores in Bay City, MI that had employees in March 2023, 64.3% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 61.7%). 100.0% had fewer than ten. Small teams usually share the phone: the person who answers is often also serving a customer or doing the job, which is when calls get missed.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 9 | 64.3% | 61.7% |
| 5–9 employees | 5 | 35.7% | 24.8% |
| 10–19 employees | not published | — | 10.2% |
| 20–49 employees | not published | — | 2.9% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Why the phone matters for beer, wine and liquor stores in Bay City, MI
Liquor stores field calls about stock, special orders and event quantities. Calls from event planners and restaurants are often time-sensitive. That holds for beer, wine and liquor stores in Bay City, MI as much as anywhere.
Typical inbound and outbound calls for beer, wine and liquor stores in Bay City, MI:
- A customer calls about a special order.
- A customer calls to check whether a wine is in stock.
- The store calls a customer when an order arrives.
Business texting for beer, wine and liquor stores
Stores text special-order notices.
Texts sent from a local business number in Bay City, MI have to be registered with carriers first (10DLC); on Callata that is a one-time $49 fee, after which the whole team can text from the shared number.
What a phone system costs a liquor store in Bay City, MI
The average liquor store in Bay City, MI has 4.4 employees, so a 4-person team is a reasonable benchmark. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $99.80 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $120.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $99.00 a month for 4 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $252 less than RingCentral for a liquor store in Bay City, MI of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $99.00 | $1,188.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $76.00 | $912.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $92.00 | $1,104.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $99.80 | $1,197.60 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $108.00 | $1,296.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $120.00 | $1,440.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Local area codes for beer, wine and liquor stores in Bay City, MI
NANPA records place the exchanges of the area's named cities and towns in 3 area codes. 989 has the most, with 42 of 47 exchanges (89%). A local number lets customers in Bay City, MI call without dialing out of area. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, and which numbers are open in an area code depends on carrier inventory when you choose.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 989 | 42 | Eastern | 2001 | none |
| 231 | 3 | Eastern | 1999 | none |
| 269 | 2 | Eastern | 2002 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
What beer, wine and liquor stores in Bay City, MI get with Callata
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
Porting a number you already use in Bay City, MI is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.
AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many beer, wine and liquor stores are there in Bay City, MI?
Census County Business Patterns counted 15 beer, wine and liquor stores in the Bay City, MI metro area in 2023. They employed 66 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 4-person liquor store?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 4 users cost $120.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $99.80 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $99.00.
What area code should a liquor store in Bay City, MI use?
Area code 989 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places, followed by 231 and 269. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for a liquor store?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute.