Oklahoma liquor laws

[jerrywall]

I agree with this 100%. For me it seems the liquor stores are up in arms because their monopoly is falling a bit but they still have it on Liquor itself and will now have later hours to sell liquor so in some ways its a win. It does take away some Beer and Wine revenue yes but you can't have it all.

Wine and Beer are the eggs and milk of liquor stores. Higher prices! YAY!

[Bullbear]

Wine and Beer are the eggs and milk of liquor stores. Higher prices! YAY!

I don't think the sky is falling and it's liquor we are talking about it's a luxury not a something required to live ( however it sure helps with the politics )
More convenience YAY!

[jerrywall]

I don't think the sky is falling and it's liquor we are talking about it's a luxury not a something required to live ( however it sure helps with the politics )
More convenience YAY!

It's more convenient to go to a liquor store 2 blocks away, park right up front, and be in and out in 2 minutes, than it is to drive further to a grocery store, park in a crowded lot, walk to the back of the store, and spend 10 minutes in the checkout line.

And even worse when 1/2 of the liquor stores are gone, so I have less option.

But Wal-Mart gets to send more money out of state. Yay!

[Bullbear]

It's more convenient to go to a liquor store 2 blocks away, park right up front, and be in and out in 2 minutes, than it is to drive further to a grocery store, park in a crowded lot, walk to the back of the store, and spend 10 minutes in the checkout line.

And even worse when 1/2 of the liquor stores are gone, so I have less option.

But Wal-Mart gets to send more money out of state. Yay!

Most people take more trips to the Grocery store than to a liquor store. so it's easy to pick up a bottle of wine or a 6 pack of good beer while you shop. We get it you hate it because of lakes and tailgating and higher prices and walmart and not wanting to park at a grocery store. noted.

[jerrywall]

And the fact that it's bad for Oklahoma businesses, craft brewers, and underage drinking. Don't forget that. It's amazing how this site is always about the local businesses, except when it comes to getting their drunk on.

[Rover]

And the fact that it's bad for Oklahoma businesses, craft brewers, and underage drinking. Don't forget that. It's amazing how this site is always about the local businesses, except when it comes to getting their drunk on.

Wow. I didn't realize that every other state that has modern free trade liquor laws were such cesspools. Funny, I haven't seen a bunch of drunk under age kids spending too much money on overpriced beer and wine (when they could find a rare store to buy it in) in all these other places.

The two top states for craft beer allow beer and wine sales in grocery stores, as do most of the top 10. Doubt the forecast of doom to craft brewers is justified.

Protectionism almost never works to the benefit of the public, whether local, state, national or international. ... a hard lesson we are likely to learn given the election. Sounds great but never works long term. All it does is protects inefficient and lower quality suppliers while retarding innovation and capital investment. People need to become students of economics history

[jerrywall]

Wow. I didn't realize that every other state that has modern free trade liquor laws were such cesspools. Funny, I haven't seen a bunch of drunk under age kids spending too much money on overpriced beer and wine (when they could find a rare store to buy it in) in all these other places.

They're not cesspools but there is no doubt that the number one source for liquor for underage drinkers are grocery and gas stations. There have been plenty of studies. And it makes sense, since they can't physically walk into a liquor store. Plus, since underage kids can work in those establishments, it gives them access they wouldn't have otherwise. I know that's how I drank when I was 18.

And there's also no doubt that this will result in more money flowing to out of state corporations. And not one person has argued that. Wal-Mart won't be stocking and pushing Oklahoma Wines and Beers. They'll be pushing the mega brands and there will be less outlets selling and promoting the Oklahoma products. Ask New Belgium and other craft brewers in Colorado what they think of the changes to their grocery beer laws (and that's a place that was smart enough to do a phased operation). Again, wow, we want to follow other states' examples, except when we don't.

[turnpup]

We drink hard liquor, so our shopping habits won't change. In the event we need to stock up for a party, we'll continue to go to our nearby liquor store, Byron's. About the only way I'd get beer or wine from anywhere else is if I needed it cold. That part is attractive to me. However, we have a bar at home and try to always keep a few bottles of wine and some beer on hand and chilled, so it wouldn't happen often.

Having said that, I do understand the concerns of many of the posters here. Change is difficult, and sometimes it takes a while for the kinks to be worked out.

[jerrywall]

And honestly, regardless of how anyone feels, it's now completely out of our hands. It will either be found constitutional or it won't. Assuming it is upheld, it's then in the hands of our legislature, who always does a wonderful job of planning and prioritizing and operating our state government, to write out and refine.

[tsou89]

This law won't have any impact on under age drinking but the people who break the law and choose to sell to minors will. I've yet to see a group of under age kids pounding $10 6 packs of COOP F5.

[Bill Robertson]

This law won't have any impact on under age drinking but the people who break the law and choose to sell to minors will. I've yet to see a group of under age kids pounding $10 6 packs of COOP F5.

True. We drank Brown Derby and Old Milwaukee. Occasionally we'd splurge and get Coors.

[Bill Robertson]

Since Wal Mart did invest heavily in this I wonder a couple of things. How much will they remodel/rearrange to expand beer and add wine. And since WMs buying policy is to tell the supplier what WM will pay how many additional beer brands and wines will go along.

[David]

I have been thinking about this argument a while. The fact is that they are not equal. Liquor stores still sell liquor which wine and beer license can't. There is nothing to prevent a liquor store owner from opening up a wine and beer shop and owning as many as he would like and sell other items also. But...if he wants to sell liquor, he has more regulation. If we are going to truly make it a level playing field, then allow the grocery stores to sell liquor also and let the liquor stores sell other items and have multiple stores and extended hours.

This right here is why I'm not remotely swayed by the equal protection argument.

[d-usa]

Walmart might not have a focus on stocking and promoting "made in Oklahoma" alcohol, but then Walmart doesn't have much of a focus on promoting "MIO" anything.

I imagine that the grocery stores that already have a focus on promoting MIO products will be more than happy to expand that focus on alcohol.

[king183]

I have been thinking about this argument a while. The fact is that they are not equal. Liquor stores still sell liquor which wine and beer license can't. There is nothing to prevent a liquor store owner from opening up a wine and beer shop and owning as many as he would like and sell other items also. But...if he wants to sell liquor, he has more regulation. If we are going to truly make it a level playing field, then allow the grocery stores to sell liquor also and let the liquor stores sell other items and have multiple stores and extended hours.

Bingo! The entire equal protection argument is laughable. Do they actually think the current situation provides an equal set of rules? All of a sudden, right when their monopoly is about to be dismantled, they demand equal rules. Incredible.

[Easy180]

The liquor stores that are run well and built relationships over the years (ex. Moore Liquor) will be just fine.

[Rivalyn]

The liquor stores that are run well and built relationships over the years (ex. Moore Liquor) will be just fine.

Doing fine and as well as they used to are two different things unfortunately. That being said I do wish liquor stores would have sensed the changing of the guard and helped fix this years ago aka the law probably wouldn't have been written by/for Walmart and Co.

[Bunty]

Walmart might not have a focus on stocking and promoting "made in Oklahoma" alcohol, but then Walmart doesn't have much of a focus on promoting "MIO" anything.

I imagine that the grocery stores that already have a focus on promoting MIO products will be more than happy to expand that focus on alcohol.

Food Pyramid in Stillwater doesn't mind selling beer from a local brewer. Stilly Wheat by Iron Monk.

[jerrywall]

The liquor stores that are run well and built relationships over the years (ex. Moore Liquor) will be just fine.

Moore Liquor knows he'll survive. He's said as much. He's worried about others. Such as any who are in a 7-11 owned building. People mortgage their lives and thier houses and liquidate their retirements to get into the business, and now the rules are changing. And not on an equal footing.

[tfvc.org]

I don't think that there will be many liquor stores that are going to be affected by this honestly. Take beer for example, there are different classes of beer and beer drinkers, every retail establishment is going to largely focus on a different class of beer. Places like Walmart and 7-11 are going to focus on the cheep mass produced stuff that they have always focused on. The "microbrews" that they have are owned by Coors, Inbrev and the like, as it is today, it will just be higher alcohol content. You will have the small mom and pops which will carry both, but will be primarily the mass produced stuff because their refrigeration space is limited, and I don't see them going through the expense of expanding, they won't be able to afford it. Then you will have the big stores like Byrons and Cellar which will start to refrigerate their beer. There isn't going to be much change in the beer landscape, just the alcohol content. Grocery stores will start to carry wine, but it will be primarily lower end wine with a couple of moderately expensive lines, but for the most part will average $15-20 a bottle. I lived in Denver and St Pete Florida, the small stores did not suffer with large chains like Publix and King Soopers selling wine in store and with Publix having a liquor store right next door. Publix' beer selection was largely the same mass produced beer, an occasional local beer, but to get a good local beer you had to go to the mom and pops and the larger warehouses to get them, just as it is now in Oklahoma. Walmart isn't going to have any better beer than it has now, it will just be higher alcohol content. I don't see how this changes the landscape, it is just going to make people drunk a little faster and piss a little less, and will bring in more and better beer into the state, which again Walmart will not touch, so if you want to drink coors, then have at it, go to walmart, but if you are into microbrews then go to a liquor store, and if the mom and pops capitalize on that and have a half way decent selection of beers that gas stations and grocery stores aren't carrying and they are at a decent price for that beer then they will stay afloat.

[OKCRT]

Doing fine and as well as they used to are two different things unfortunately. That being said I do wish liquor stores would have sensed the changing of the guard and helped fix this years ago aka the law probably wouldn't have been written by/for Walmart and Co.

The liquor stores were too worried about keeping their monopoly together. I can understand them not wanting to open the gates. There will prob be some small stores that will have to close but it's no different than any other business that has competition. Why should there only be a select few in OK. that can sell a certain product that is being sold on the open market all over the country? This is free trade and the prices might go down with more competition.

[Easy180]

Moore Liquor knows he'll survive. He's said as much. He's worried about others. Such as any who are in a 7-11 owned building. People mortgage their lives and thier houses and liquidate their retirements to get into the business, and now the rules are changing. And not on an equal footing.

Before mortgaging their lives and houses they had to know this was coming at some point. I'm certain there aren't any owners just shocked that this happened.

[jn1780]

The 7-11 liquor stores biggest problem is that this gives 7-11 more of a reason expand and remodel their stores to compete with Oncue. This probably would happen anyway though as the battle with Oncue goes on.

[stile99]

And honestly, regardless of how anyone feels, it's now completely out of our hands. It will either be found constitutional or it won't. Assuming it is upheld, it's then in the hands of our legislature, who always does a wonderful job of planning and prioritizing and operating our state government, to write out and refine.

Ten Commandments monuments in every liquor store!

[jn1780]

Before mortgaging their lives and houses they had to know this was coming at some point. I'm certain there aren't any owners just shocked that this happened.

They also have a good solid two years to adapt. Most business owners would kill for this lead time.