Update to the OK liquor laws

[osutater]

Are we going to move out of the stone age?

http://www.thelostogle.com/2015/09/16/modern-liquor-laws-may-be-coming-to-oklahoma/

I hate to link a lost ogle article because I hate those douchebag shit talking Sooners, but my friend sent this to me and if this is true this would be awesome.

Does anyone think it will actually happen? @Air_Thurman should have some insight.

 

[long-duc-dong]

Are we going to move out of the stone age?

http://www.thelostogle.com/2015/09/16/modern-liquor-laws-may-be-coming-to-oklahoma/

I hate to link a lost ogle article because I hate those douchebag shit talking Sooners, but my friend sent this to me and if this is true this would be awesome.

Does anyone think it will actually happen? @Air_Thurman should have some insight.

We've talked about this on here before. It will happen.

 

[Air_Thurman]

While this is a good step in the right direction I still think it is a long way away. At some point the people have to vote on this. I don't know if Oklahomans will.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

While this is a good step in the right direction I still think it is a long way away. At some point the people have to vote on this. I don't know if Oklahomans will.

If it gets to a vote? I think there is no question the refrigeration in liquor stores would pass.

I assume these would be broken up into separate state questions, although how they would be broken up and how many questions there would ultimately be remains to be seen.

 

[WCPoke]

Anyone actually oppose this??

 

[poke2001]

Well the liquor lobby had been a big opposing force against high point beer and wine in grocery stores, but I believe they have now come around...

It will happen, like glove said, if he goes to an actual vote of the people it will pass.

 

[TPOKE]

If Oklahoma goes to grocery store beer and wine before Kansas I'm going to be sick. That being said, they do need to change. Along with that change will be the end of me trading 6 point Coors Light with a buddy in Oklahoma for tickets.

 

[EvilPOKES]

Don't miss that part of Oklahoma one bit. It is really nice being able to by any kind of liquor just from the grocery stores.

 

[Colorado_Poke]

I have family in the liquor industry in Oklahoma. I'm fairly confident in saying that the first thing to pass (whenever that happens) will be refrigeration in liqour stores. There's some resistance to that since many older stores do not have the infrastructure to install commercial refrigeration units, but it will happen someday. There's much less support for wine and strong beer in grocery stores, and opening on Sundays.

 

[ThorOdinson13]

I can go to the liquor store on a Sunday before football starts here. It's wonderful. I'm a little perturbed by only having 3.2 available in the grocery store but I'd rather have a hard Sunday offering than nothing at all.

 

[osutater]

We've talked about this on here before. It will happen.

Thanks. Sorry for the repost on the Game of thrones board. I'll go post this in the corral.

 

[frankeaton]

now if they can match prices with Dallas

 

[JimmyBob]

Anyone actually oppose this??

Baptists.

 

[kjcba8101]

Oklahoma...stuck in the 1950s, yet again.

 

[long-duc-dong]

Thanks. Sorry for the repost on the Game of thrones board. I'll go post this in the corral.

Ok. If you took my post as a shot, it wasn't. But by all means go post it in the corral.

 

[osutater]

Was a joke. That's it.

 

[long-duc-dong]

Was a joke. That's it.

Alright. My panties are unwadded. If that's even a word.

 

[osutater]

It was more making a poorly executed joke about the amount of recurring GOT and ASOFI threads. Wouldn't want my non-sports thread to interfere with the mid-evil fantasy board.

 

[100TonsofOrangeFury]

I have family in the liquor industry in Oklahoma. I'm fairly confident in saying that the first thing to pass (whenever that happens) will be refrigeration in liqour stores. There's some resistance to that since many older stores do not have the infrastructure to install commercial refrigeration units, but it will happen someday. There's much less support for wine and strong beer in grocery stores, and opening on Sundays.

Much less support from who? I'm struggling to understand why the liquor industry would oppose additional points of sale and operating hours. Seems to work fine in Texas.

 

[Air_Thurman]

Some of you are much more optimistic about the people of Oklahoma voting to lax liquor laws than I am. I hope you are right though. Like most things in our state it will be rural vs. urban.

 

[Colorado_Poke]

Much less support from who? I'm struggling to understand why the liquor industry would oppose additional points of sale and operating hours. Seems to work fine in Texas.

Retail liqour stores.

 

[100TonsofOrangeFury]

Retail liqour stores.

Cannot imagine these small fry have much sway when compared to the liquor industry and big box retail.

 

[JonnyVito]

Some of you are much more optimistic about the people of Oklahoma voting to lax liquor laws than I am. I hope you are right though. Like most things in our state it will be rural vs. urban.

Agreed people seem to forget tattoos only became legal what 15 years ago. This is why I laugh at people thinking Oklahoma will ever legalize a certain substance.

 

[squeak]

Oklahoma...stuck in the 1950s, yet again.

It's not like oklahoma is the only state with archaic liquor laws though.

 

[squeak]

It was just a few years ago when you couldn't by alcohol, except at restaurants, in Irving, TX.

 

[squeak]

I see no problem with the current laws of that's how the people want it. Unfortunately, it's not up to the people.

 

[Air_Thurman]

I see no problem with the current laws of that's how the people want it. Unfortunately, it's not up to the people.

At this point the only thing I really care about is refrigeration. It would be nice to just stop by the liquor store on the way home from work on Friday and then not have to wait hours to enjoy it.

 

[osutater]

In Enid (and I'm guessing) there's probably around 25 liquor stores. If grocery stores can start to sell I bet that becomes 4 or 5.

That's why there's opposition I'd guess.

 

[tcpoke]

There are two families (one in OKC and one in Tulsa) that essentially control the liquor lobby. The OKC family is probably the more powerful of the two for a variety of reasons but not by a ton.

They will fight the grocery store inclusion of high point beer and wine to their death.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Cannot imagine these small fry have much sway when compared to the liquor industry and big box retail.

They do, and they and the distributors especially are the main reason the laws are still the way they are, much less so than "the Baptists".

Personally, if they'd just put refrigeration in the liquor stores and allow for > 3.2 growler fills at brweries, I'd be satisified.

I do think it is silly not to allow > 3.2 or wine to be sold at the gorcery store. A lot of laces don't allow spirits to be sold in grocery stores; I'm indifferent to that idea.

 

[osu2082]

There are two families (one in OKC and one in Tulsa) that essentially control the liquor lobby. The OKC family is probably the more powerful of the two for a variety of reasons but not by a ton.

They will fight the grocery store inclusion of high point beer and wine to their death.

You are correct and the one in OKC is very influential in several areas of our state legislature. Both entities have fought and spent quite a bit of money and effort in several areas which will make any changes very tough IMO.

 

[tcpoke]

I've known the OKC family my entire life, their roots in OK legislature go back generations. It's quite impressive.

 

[WCPoke]

I've known the OKC family my entire life, their roots in OK legislature go back generations. It's quite impressive.

Lebanese?

 

[tcpoke]

Yep

 

[nathajw]

Is it true that CostCo won't open up in Oklahoma because they wouldn't even be allowed to sell wine? I seriously doubt OK will allow hard liquor to be sold outside of a liquor store before Texas does. I used to hate the grocery store growing up but every now and then when the wife asks me to go with her to Kroger I don't resist too much. It's like taking a trip to the candy store.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Is it true that CostCo won't open up in Oklahoma because they wouldn't even be allowed to sell wine? I seriously doubt OK will allow hard liquor to be sold outside of a liquor store before Texas does. I used to hate the grocery store growing up but every now and then when the wife asks me to go with her to Kroger I don't resist too much. It's like taking a trip to the candy store.

They are opening in Tulsa in 2016. They will build a liquor store right next to the main store.

 

[The Duke]

Those 2 distribution families need to be relocated to Burma.

 

[long-duc-dong]

Talked about this awhile back on this same issue. Had drinks with a member of the Lebanese Liquor Mafia here in okc. He said it's inevitable this will happen. At the time he said not this election cycle but next. Which is what the article mentions (2016). That's all I got.

 

[The Duke]

Oklahoma. Never before in the course of human events have so few screwed so many for so much $$$ without retaliation. The citizens of Oklahoma need to collectively pull their heads out and kick the trash to the curb.

 

[tcpoke]

Talked about this awhile back on this same issue. Had drinks with a member of the Lebanese Liquor Mafia here in okc. He said it's inevitable this will happen. At the time he said not this election cycle but next. Which is what the article mentions (2016). That's all I got.

I think they know it's inevitable, but they will delay it as long as possible in hopes of getting something passed that protects their distribution rights within the state. They are definitely resigned to the fact that cold beer in liquor stores is coming, and that they are going to have to turn some of their trucks into refrigerated units. A cost they have been fighting for a while. However that change will open OK up to a couple of breweries who have refused to ship here due to non-refrigerated distribution.