State Sen. Rice Proposing High Point Beer & Wine Sales In Grocery Stores

[swake]

Just my $.02, until OK liquor laws are changed and or some one files an antitrust suit against the existing distributors, I don't think much will change. Doesn't the current liquor dist take care of both bars and Liquor stores? It may not be a "monopoly" but it sure smells like one and has for as long as I can remember.

yeah, and I think it's just two companies for the whole state, or at least it used to be. Jarboe and Central. There may be another now, but these are not "mom and pop" stores and they will fight any changes to our laws.

[Townsend]

yeah, and I think it's just two companies for the whole state, or at least it used to be. Jarboe and Central. There may be another now, but these are not "mom and pop" stores and they will fight any changes to our laws.

There's another but they get together periodically to set prices.  That should be illegal as well.

[OpenYourEyesTulsa]

Just my $.02, until OK liquor laws are changed and or some one files an antitrust suit against the existing distributors, I don't think much will change. Doesn't the current liquor dist take care of both bars and Liquor stores? It may not be a "monopoly" but it sure smells like one and has for as long as I can remember.

I have always wished that someone would start a petition to get this on the ballot.  Maybe the forum could band together to make it happen someday.

[Conan71]

The big liquor distributors have lobbyists, and the mass-market beers actually like the 3.2 arrangement in Oklahoma because they see it as more volume sales.  Would take a miracle to change this.

Now if there was something to light the fuses of constituents likely to support this...

I'd love to see the 3.2 law go to the wayside entirely.  FAIK, there are only five states which have a 3.2 law: Ok, Co, Ks. Mn, and Ut.  Interesting that four of the states are the home state of and neighboring states of Coors.  Seems like the breweries would get behind such laws if there was any concerted effort to get all five states to dump 3.2 at once.

[Red Arrow]

I'd love to see the 3.2 law go to the wayside entirely.  FAIK, there are only five states which have a 3.2 law: Ok, Co, Ks. Mn, and Ut.  Interesting that four of the states are the home state of and neighboring states of Coors.  Seems like the breweries would get behind such laws if there was any concerted effort to get all five states to dump 3.2 at once.

Interesting but how do you explain Missouri?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_laws_of_Missouri

[dbacks fan]

I have always wished that someone would start a petition to get this on the ballot.  Maybe the forum could band together to make it happen someday.

It took almost 30 years to get liquor by the drink on a ballot, let alone pass, and it's been alomst 30 years since it passed, maybe, just maybe, you might get it on a ballot.

[dbacks fan]

Wiki list of each state

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_alcohol_laws_of_the_United_States_by_state

[Hoss]

Wiki list of each state

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_alcohol_laws_of_the_United_States_by_state

Kinda nice to know we're not the most restrictive.  Looks like Kansas gets that, but I don't understand why, some years back, I went to a Wichita v Tulsa hockey game in Wichita and they were able to serve Fat Tire beer at the arena.  Maybe I'm not reading the law correctly.

[cannon_fodder]

There's another but they get together periodically to set prices.  That should be illegal as well.

It is called collusion, and it is illegal.  I belieeve under the sherman act.

Anyway, oklahomas alcohol laws are annoying at best, bad for consumers in reality, and probably bad for business (marshalls brew pub anyone?).  They are cemented in place for existing business interfests and no other reason.  Selling alcohol on Sunday, wine at grocery stores, or a winery shipping wine have no honest effect on alcohol abuse... but they do shuffle money around.

For matter, 3 tier distribution is just a jobs program that passes costs to the consumer.

[Conan71]

Kinda nice to know we're not the most restrictive.  Looks like Kansas gets that, but I don't understand why, some years back, I went to a Wichita v Tulsa hockey game in Wichita and they were able to serve Fat Tire beer at the arena.  Maybe I'm not reading the law correctly.

If I remember right from when I lived in KCK (Wyandotte County) and worked down in Johnson County you could buy 3.2 beer in the grocery store or convenience store, but could buy cold Bud, Miller, Coors in their high point version and cold in a liquor store.

Also seems like Mo. cuts off beer sales in the convenience store after 2 or 3 am and they draw a curtain over the beer section.  Same with Sunday, IIRC or I may be thinking of the Kansas side.  At least you can buy 3.2 24 hours a day here if you need some sort of alcohol fix and the cupboards are empty.

[Townsend]

At least you can buy 3.2 24 hours a day here if you need some sort of alcohol fix and the cupboards are empty.

I've not tried to buy beer after 2AM in quite some time but I think that is cut off too.

[swake]

Kinda nice to know we're not the most restrictive.  Looks like Kansas gets that, but I don't understand why, some years back, I went to a Wichita v Tulsa hockey game in Wichita and they were able to serve Fat Tire beer at the arena.  Maybe I'm not reading the law correctly.

Kansas is not nearly as restrictive as we are. They have full point mass market beers in liquor stores, liquor stores have refrigeration and can sell items other than liquor and are open more hours. Also, we don't allow happy hours or discounts on drinks in bars, they do.

[Townsend]

Also, we don't allow happy hours or discounts on drinks in bars, they do.

Beer must be 3.2 (food product) and if a shot is offered as a special it has to be available for the entire week (that might've changed in the many years since I've been a bartender).

[Conan71]

Kansas is not nearly as restrictive as we are. They have full point mass market beers in liquor stores, liquor stores have refrigeration and can sell items other than liquor and are open more hours. Also, we don't allow happy hours or discounts on drinks in bars, they do.

I hear this and read this, yet I've seen quite a few (wink) non-happy hours and (wink) non-drink discounts.

[Hoss]

I've not tried to buy beer after 2AM in quite some time but I think that is cut off too.

It is.  Most C-stores have chains/locks around the cooler doors.  Why do you think QT now has one whole wall of the store devoted to beer only?  So people can't try and sneak one by opening a neighboring cooler door.