Oklahoma liquor laws

[BridgeBurner]

Anyone know when we will get to vote to let liquor stores stay open Sunday?

[bchris02]

OK. I’m big enough to admit when I’m wrong. I was a huge believer that most domestic beers, especially light beers, could not possibly taste that much different. I went toe to toe with many people on the issue. I was wrong. I drink Ultra where it’s on tap and Coors Light when it’s not. Both are noticeably different. Jury is still out whether I like the lighter taste or the heavier taste. Not that it really matters.

I agree.

I personally even noticed a slight taste difference with Bud Light Lime, and that is one of the ones that should be negligible given that the ABV difference is something like 0.2%.

Most big-name domestic beers though are still absolute sh*t even at full-strength. They just aren't quite as bad as they are at 3.2%.

[Johnb911]

Anyone know when we will get to vote to let liquor stores stay open Sunday?

Last I talked to the manager at my neighborhood store, they said they were working to try to get it on a future ballot, but it might be over a year or two before that happens. I didn't get (or don't remember) any specifics, but he made it seem like it had to be a petition just to get it on the ballot. At least, that's what I remember from the interaction.

TLDR: there's no set date, it's up to each county to have a vote on their own, potentially by a petition from the people, as opposed to being driven by county leadership

[king183]

Last I talked to the manager at my neighborhood store, they said they were working to try to get it on a future ballot, but it might be over a year or two before that happens. I didn't get (or don't remember) any specifics, but he made it seem like it had to be a petition just to get it on the ballot. At least, that's what I remember from the interaction.

TLDR: there's no set date, it's up to each county to have a vote on their own, potentially by a petition from the people, as opposed to being driven by county leadership

That's interesting to hear. Several years ago, when Andrew Rice proposed legislation allowing liquor stores to open on Sunday, liquor store owners were staunchly opposed. They said they enjoyed have the day off and claimed it would unsustainably raise their overhead. I guess some are changing their tunes now that the consumer finally has a choice.

[jerrywall]

Well, they're not some monolithic entity.

[king183]

Well, they're not some monolithic entity.

Well, they sure acted liked it for the last 10 years of the alcohol reform fight.

[jerrywall]

Well, they sure acted liked it for the last 10 years of the alcohol reform fight.

Nah. 99% of liquor stores gave no input and weren't involved at all. This is just once again the myth of the "great and all powerful 'liquor lobby'." And regardless of what they themselves think, the Naifehs are not the liquor industry in Oklahoma and don't speak for the retailers en mass.

[king183]

Nah. 99% of liquor stores gave no input and weren't involved at all. This is just once again the myth of the "great and all powerful 'liquor lobby'." And regardless of what they themselves think, the Naifehs are not the liquor industry in Oklahoma and don't speak for the retailers en mass.

Straw man.

[jonny d]

Straw man.

Yeah, don't let the facts given get in the way of a good story.

[Swake]

Nah. 99% of liquor stores gave no input and weren't involved at all. This is just once again the myth of the "great and all powerful 'liquor lobby'." And regardless of what they themselves think, the Naifehs are not the liquor industry in Oklahoma and don't speak for the retailers en mass.

The liquor lobby never was the liquor stores, it was the distributors. Central, Jarboe etc.

[hoya]

Straw man.

I don't think you know what a straw man is.

[king183]

I don't think you know what a straw man is.

Actually, I know exactly what it is.

My statement that it was interesting that, years ago, liquor store owners were opposed to opening on Sunday because they enjoyed the day off and were concerned about additional overhead was met with the response "they aren't some monolithic entity." To which I replied: They sure acted like it during the alcohol reform battle.

Jerry then responded with a rebuttal of the "myth of the great and all powerful liquor lobby" and the Naifehs speaking for the liquor industry. That is the definition of a straw man. He was rebutting an argument that wasn't made, since I wasn't arguing--nor was anyone else, unless their posts are hidden from me-- that there is a great and all powerful lobby or that the Naifehs speak for the industry.

[Johnb911]

Well, regardless of how they felt in the past, it has been argued on this thread and others that those who wish to stay in business must evolve and adapt. Now that other retailers can sell strong cold beer and wine on Sundays, liquor stores, though they may have enjoyed having the day off, probably want a portion of those sales too. If it suddenly became normal for people at my company to work on Sundays, and there was someone I was in competition for a promotion with that was fine working on Sundays, well I would have to become fine with it too, if I wanted to keep my job.

[jerrywall]

The liquor lobby never was the liquor stores, it was the distributors. Central, Jarboe etc.

Exactly. Most liquor stores were too busy trying to run a small family business. Most of the ones we knew including us were ambivalent on Sundays. It wasn't all high a priority as other items but I didnt know a single retailer who opposed it outright.

Anyone who makes broad statements that the stores all felt one way, or they acted like a monolithic group, is fooling themselves. There's a reason only like 5 percent of stores joined the retail association. Go figure, 700 plus small retailers dont tend to all agree on about anything. Like herding cats.

[jerrywall]

Well, regardless of how they felt in the past, it has been argued on this thread and others that those who wish to stay in business must evolve and adapt. Now that other retailers can sell strong cold beer and wine on Sundays, liquor stores, though they may have enjoyed having the day off, probably want a portion of those sales too. If it suddenly became normal for people at my company to work on Sundays, and there was someone I was in competition for a promotion with that was fine working on Sundays, well I would have to become fine with it too, if I wanted to keep my job.

I think it'll be a mixed adoption. It'll have to be driven by the larger stores, who have the volume to justify opening on Sundays. For a large percentage of stores, Sundays may not make sense. I was curious and ran the numbers for my old shop, and we'd have to be sure of at least 2k in Sunday sales to even justify opening, and even then we're not making much money. The exception would be a Sunday before a holiday, such as Memorial Day and Labor Day.

I think the holidays will be interesting to watch this year. I'd be shocked if most shops weren't open every available hour in the few days before Christmas and New Years. As well as Thanksgiving Eve. Those days represented about 15% of our total annual revenues, so adding to those hours just makes sense. But boy, I'm glad I'm not in the business now. I'm too old for that many hours with that much volume in a few days.

[Johnb911]

I think it'll be a mixed adoption. It'll have to be driven by the larger stores, who have the volume to justify opening on Sundays. For a large percentage of stores, Sundays may not make sense. I was curious and ran the numbers for my old shop, and we'd have to be sure of at least 2k in Sunday sales to even justify opening, and even then we're not making much money. The exception would be a Sunday before a holiday, such as Memorial Day and Labor Day.

That's how it's been in Kansas since they adopted Sunday sales, though I'll point out they didn't pass the measure allowing wine sales in grocery stores. Regardless, the store owners decide whether or not they can justify being open on a Sunday.

[Bill Robertson]

Another question I just thought of. Another thread is discussing businesses running out of things. I was always told by bars that if they ran out of one liquor they could only get it from their distributor and were stuck until that distributor would deliver. Is that still the case?

[brian72]

Went to play Lincoln Golf course today. After the round, me and a
couple of friends a mine went to buy a beer and was told that they cannot sell beer on election day. Also told that when you buy beer you can only buy 2 at a time and they have to open both. What the hell is going on with this? It is only beer not hard Liquor. What a Joke!!!

[Bill Robertson]

Went to play Lincoln Golf course today. After the round, me and a
couple of friends a mine went to buy a beer and was told that they cannot sell beer on election day. Also told that when you buy beer you can only buy 2 at a time and they have to open both. What the hell is going on with this? It is only beer not hard Liquor. What a Joke!!!

I believe both of those things have been the law since before the change. It’s just that most places didn’t enforce them. I’m sure that the opening part was law. I often buy a bucket if I’m going to shoot pool for awhile and have always been told that they have to open them or it’s considered carry out which is illegal. The Chesapeak and Cox have always only allowed two at a time supposedly because it was the law.

[Martin]

are liquor stores open today? i didn't get a chance to see if that part of the law changed in october, too.

[Quicker]

are liquor stores open today? i didn't get a chance to see if that part of the law changed in october, too.

That law was changed a couple of years ago... they’re open

[Martin]

That law was changed a couple of years ago... they’re open

ahh... gotcha. didn't even realize that. thanks for the info!

[jerrywall]

Went to play Lincoln Golf course today. After the round, me and a
couple of friends a mine went to buy a beer and was told that they cannot sell beer on election day. Also told that when you buy beer you can only buy 2 at a time and they have to open both. What the hell is going on with this? It is only beer not hard Liquor. What a Joke!!!

It's not illegal to sell liquor by the drink on election days. Has never been since liquor by the drink was legalized in the 80s. As for liquor stores, that was illegal until 2007 or so.

[brian72]

what's confusing at the city golf courses, is that they have to open cans of beer (Which is 2 at a time) for you. You cannot buy 12 packs or 6 packs. Is this a City ordinance since they own the courses paid by our Tax dollars? Before October 1st you could by beer Not Opened and take on the course. What a Joke this state is sometimes.

[jerrywall]

It was probably 3.2 beer then. They were operating under a beer license. Not a liquor license.