A new law in Oklahoma will allow grocery and convenience stores to sell wine and strong beer starting in October of 2018.
Up to now, only liquor stores were allowed to sell these products. But the fight over the new law isn’t over yet.
As the Fort Smith Times Record reports, Oklahoma’s liquor stores are challenging the new voter-approved guidelines, hoping to put a stop to them. They say the law will put mom-and-pop liquor stores out of business.
J.P. Richard is the owner of Cache Road Liquor & Wine in Lawton. He says, “The little liquor store down the street is now going to have to compete with the QuickTrip, with the 7-Eleven.”
Bryan Kerr, president of the Retail Liquor Association of Oklahoma, said it’s likely that many of the state’s 600 package liquor stores will shut down if the new regulations go into effect.