Business leaders look to change Oklahoma liquor laws

Oklahoma City business leaders have organized talks between lawmakers and the alcohol industry about changing state law to let grocery stores sell strong beer and wine. Grocery and convenience stores can now sell only low-point beer. Wine, strong beer and liquor must be bought at licensed liquor stores, bars or restaurants.

Roy Williams, president of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, described Oklahoma's liquor laws as "archaic" and said similar laws in other states already have been changed. "It's an inconvenience to shoppers, but also we see it as a quality-of-life issue," Williams told The Oklahoman. Any major change in Oklahoma liquor laws would likely require a vote of the people because several state alcohol laws are part of the state Constitution.

Liquor stores and distributors who have benefitted from the state's restrictions on where alcohol can be sold have lobbied for years against changing the law. They claim letting grocery stores carry wine and strong beer will harm locally owned businesses that make up Oklahoma's liquor retail and distribution industry.

J.P. Richard, the owner of Cache Road Liquor in Lawton, said he thinks customers are better served by stores that have specialized in liquor sales for decades rather than chain grocery stores that focus on many other projects.

"Everybody's put their heart and soul into this for years and years, and then just to have it taken away by the stroke of a pen — it's just not acceptable," said Richard, the president of the Retail Liquor Association of Oklahoma.

He said he expects another fight over the proposed changes. "I think we're going to have to go and do battle with them again," he said. Richard also said the Oklahoma economy would suffer if grocery stores could sell wine and strong beer because most of the grocers were owned by corporations based in other states.

"Then the money leaves the state, and you get a minimum-wage employee who is now your service agent. That's your expert," Richard said. Williams said the chamber wants local governments to be able to decide whether grocery stores in their communities can sell wine and strong beer. "That way, if there are some parts of the state that don't want it, they wouldn't have to have it," Williams said.