How late will night clubs be able to sell liquor? How long will night clubs/bars be able to stay open?

Why would these change? They're not selling for off-site consumption.

Why would these change? They're not selling for off-site consumption.

Why not? Are the new laws just for off site consumption. It would seem logical that with the new liquor laws the night clubs could serve alcohol past 2am.

Why not? Are the new laws just for off site consumption. It would seem logical that with the new liquor laws the night clubs could serve alcohol past 2am.

Logic rarely is applicable to legislation. 2am is still the cut off time

1) Midnight
2) Midnight
3) They can now, county option. Liquor stores will also be able to be open on Sunday, county option.

So you won't be able to buy beer at gas stations until 2 am like you are now?

So you won't be able to buy beer at gas stations until 2 am like you are now?

That's what it sounds like. However, I think that's an acceptable trade-off for having real beer and wine much more accessible. Maybe it would be different if I would have been living in Oklahoma when I started drinking, but I just can't do 3.2 beer. So as far as I am concerned, alcohol for off-premises consumption is currently only available Monday-Saturday and until 9PM.

That's what it sounds like. However, I think that's an acceptable trade-off for having real beer and wine much more accessible. Maybe it would be different if I would have been living in Oklahoma when I started drinking, but I just can't do 3.2 beer. So as far as I am concerned, alcohol for off-premises consumption is currently only available M-F and until 9PM.

No complaints here, this is much better. Similar to Texas in that regard.

Why not? Are the new laws just for off site consumption. It would seem logical that with the new liquor laws the night clubs could serve alcohol past 2am.

I thought you were heading in the direction of clubs getting cut off sooner.

I still don't understand why the sale of liquor in stores would affect the sale of liquor in a bar, though. Can you help me with the logic?

I thought you were heading in the direction of clubs getting cut off sooner.

I still don't understand why the sale of liquor in stores would affect the sale of liquor in a bar, though. Can you help me with the logic?

It wouldn’t. I didn’t know this bill was only for convienece stores, liquor stores and grocery.

My thought was since they are overhauling the liquor laws, this bill will change how late night clubs and bars can serve alcohol. As it stands nightclubs shut down at 2am, can’t sell liquor past 1:30 am.

It wouldn’t. I didn’t know this bill was only for convienece stores, liquor stores and grocery.

My thought was since they are overhauling the liquor laws, this bill will change how late night clubs and bars can serve alcohol. As it stands nightclubs shut down at 2am, can’t sell liquor past 1:30 am.

Ah, ok. That makes sense. Yeah, I don't believe clubs and bars hours of service are affected. They will be affected in other ways by low point beer going away.

It wouldn’t. I didn’t know this bill was only for convienece stores, liquor stores and grocery.

My thought was since they are overhauling the liquor laws, this bill will change how late night clubs and bars can serve alcohol. As it stands nightclubs shut down at 2am, can’t sell liquor past 1:30 am.

there is no law that they cant serve past 1:30 am currently

1) Midnight
2) Midnight
3) They can now, county option. Liquor stores will also be able to be open on Sunday, county option.

Actually, convenience stores and grocery stores will still be able to sell 6AM-2AM, seven days a week. This was covered a lot in the press. Liquor stores can open from 8AM to Midnight Monday thru Saturday, and as swake said, Sunday by county option, though I haven't seen any information on the hours of sale for Sunday.

there is no law that they cant serve past 1:30 am currently

Is there a law that’s says they have to close at 2am? If not, why do the nightclubs all close at 2am?

Also will the new laws change bottle service in nightclubs. As it stands I can’t buy bottles of liquor in the club.

Is there a law that’s says they have to close at 2am? If not, why do the nightclubs all close at 2am?

They last call at 1:30 because they have to close at 2. Well, most places. I know a few that will lock their doors at 2 for their regulars but dont want to get them in trouble. I've spent the night at a few places.

They last call at 1:30 because they have to close at 2. Well, most places. I know a few that will lock their doors at 2 for their regulars but dont want to get them in trouble. I've spent the night at a few places.


Will the new laws allow them to stay open past 2am?

Not that I've seen.

Will the new laws allow them to stay open past 2am?

No. The new liquor laws only affect off-premises consumption.

While I think it would be nice if Oklahoma would visit the idea of allowing after-hours bars/clubs, I don't see it happening. For one, the current laws, though stricter than some states, aren't unreasonably restrictive and other states are worse. Utah for instance shuts down at midnight and several other states shut down at 1am.

Thanks everyone, just thinking about the few times I may go out or late Thunder games how it would be nice for a club to stay open till 4am and have the ability to have bottle service at your table or section.

We’ve been to Taprooms for soccer watch parties, with a food truck in the parking lot and games and activities for people there, it’s a different atmosphere than bars.
We have a brewery/taproom (Two22 Brew) a couple of miles from our house here in far SE Aurora/Centennial that is that way, they have food trucks daily. They also brew their own root beer and have regular non-alcoholic drinks as well.

Quick question:

do we know if there are any rules affecting the whole "nobody under 21 allowed in the store" issue that liquor stores currently have? I know it really shouldn't be an issue now with the grocery store option, but in the past it's been a pain in the rear if I need to grab a bottle of wine for a recipe with my kids in tow. So in the past my option would be to buy "cooking wine" at a grocery store, stand in the doorway of the liquor store while holding my kiddos and sending the clerk on an errant to find me a bottle of wine, or leaving the kids in the car.

At least now I can just pick up the wine with my other groceries, but it seems like that is just one more random rule that would hurt the existing stores when it comes to competing with the big box stores.

Quick question:

do we know if there are any rules affecting the whole "nobody under 21 allowed in the store" issue that liquor stores currently have? I know it really shouldn't be an issue now with the grocery store option, but in the past it's been a pain in the rear if I need to grab a bottle of wine for a recipe with my kids in tow. So in the past my option would be to buy "cooking wine" at a grocery store, stand in the doorway of the liquor store while holding my kiddos and sending the clerk on an errant to find me a bottle of wine, or leaving the kids in the car.

At least now I can just pick up the wine with my other groceries, but it seems like that is just one more random rule that would hurt the existing stores when it comes to competing with the big box stores.

From what I have heard. liquor stores are still 21 and older... could have been something they got changed, had they not spent the whole time opposing any changes at all.

The law really should allow minors into liquor stores if accompanied by a parent or guardian. Might even save a few kids from dying in hot cars.

The law really should allow minors into liquor stores if accompanied by a parent or guardian. Might even save a few kids from dying in hot cars.

And it easily could have... Liquor stores hardly got anything out of this because they were more worried about keeping their almost 100 year monopoly. It is their own fault that these changes don't benefit them more.

Now that we have crossed the big bridge, I think we will see more minor adjustments keep coming with regards to alcohol laws. and this very well could be one of them in the near future

Allowing minors in the store, and allowing them to operate on holidays (memorial day, 4th of july) is something I believe will happen eventually. Or at least it should.

Does anyone know about the sunday sales by county vote? Did I miss that?

Does anyone know about the sunday sales by county vote? Did I miss that?

Senate Bill 211 will allow the citizens of each county to vote whether or not they want liquor stores to be allowed to open on Sundays. The county commissioner will be allowed to set the date for the vote or a petition with signatures from 15 percent of the county’s population will also initiate a voting date in that county.

I don't think any vote can happen before October 1st. I figure this will probably be on most November ballots for counties

. Liquor stores hardly got anything out of this because they were more worried about keeping their almost 100 year monopoly. It is their own fault that these changes don't benefit them more.

Wow, we had package liquor stores in Oklahoma 20 years before prohibition ended?

And monopoly. Folks keep using this word. I do not think it means what they think it means.

Wow, we had package liquor stores in Oklahoma 20 years before prohibition ended?

And monopoly. Folks keep using this word. I do not think it means what they think it means.

key word... almost... if you are going to question my ability to know what words mean... look up the word "almost"..

and according to Merriam Webster, 3rd definition of monopoly, a commodity controlled by one party. so in this case... highpoint beer, wine, and liquor, and the sell of it for home or offsite consumption. the RLA has had sole control of this entire market for decades. So I don't find anything wrong with my use of the word monopoly. the Retail Liquor Association would be one party, and controlled said commodity.

Heh.. less than 60 is "almost" 100. You round like my wife does (although she tends to go the other direction).

The RLA has existed for about 10 years, and is a trade association. All the stores are competitors. No single point of control. Anyone can open a store. This is like saying all the fast food places that sell pizza have a monopoly on selling fast food pizza. There was no party controlling the sell of liquor in Oklahoma, besides ABLE who regulates it.

This is a problem with this discussion. Tons of people who actually no nothing about how the liquor industry works in Oklahoma or the history of it seem to have lots of soundbite opinions they picked off of facebook or whatever.

Heh.. less than 60 is "almost" 100. You round like my wife does (although she tends to go the other direction).

The RLA has existed for about 10 years, and is a trade association. All the stores are competitors. No single point of control. Anyone can open a store. This is like saying all the fast food places that sell pizza have a monopoly on selling fast food pizza. There was no party controlling the sell of liquor in Oklahoma, besides ABLE who regulates it.

This is a problem with this discussion. Tons of people who actually no nothing about how the liquor industry works in Oklahoma or the history of it seem to have lots of soundbite opinions they picked off of facebook or whatever.

I will give you that I misspoke in making the statement about the RLA for the whole history of it... you are correct. they had different ways of lobbying before that. And you can still have a monopoly amongst competing individuals and owners, if the industry as a whole is significantly limited in scope as to who can compete. this is why Major League Baseball (a bunch of individual owners of a similar product who compete) fought to get an Anti-Trust exemption by the US government. a good example of this is the factors that the FTC says it uses to determine if a monopoly is taking place... most notably Market Power.
From the FTC website https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws/single-firm-conduct/monopolization-defined

Notice that under market power it says the following

Market Power

Courts do not require a literal monopoly before applying rules for single firm conduct; that term is used as shorthand for a firm with significant and durable market power — that is, the long term ability to raise price or exclude competitors. That is how that term is used here: a "monopolist" is a firm with significant and durable market power. Courts look at the firm's market share, but typically do not find monopoly power if the firm (or a group of firms acting in concert) has less than 50 percent of the sales of a particular product or service within a certain geographic area. Some courts have required much higher percentages. In addition, that leading position must be sustainable over time: if competitive forces or the entry of new firms could discipline the conduct of the leading firm, courts are unlikely to find that the firm has lasting market power.
make sure to not the (or a group of firms acting in concert)

But a monopoly doesn't always have to be illegal. there are legal monopolies. and in this case there was a Legal Justification of the monopoly... because it was instituted by law. so while it is a legal monopoly... it's still by definition a monopoly.
again from the FTC website

Business Justification

Finally, the monopolist may have a legitimate business justification for behaving in a way that prevents other firms from succeeding in the marketplace. For instance, the monopolist may be competing on the merits in a way that benefits consumers through greater efficiency or a unique set of products or services. In the end, courts will decide whether the monopolist's success is due to "the willful acquisition or maintenance of that power as distinguished from growth or development as a consequence of a superior product, business acumen, or historic accident."


next... ABLE can only interrupt and enforce the laws on the books, they can not create laws. so there was a party controlling the sell of liquor... the group that passed the law and the only group that can change that law... and the liquor stores have always lobbied against any changes that would allow for any change in the market place.

you have no clue as to my knowledge of how the liquor industry works, and instead of giving a counter-point to the original comment and continue with intellectual conversation, you feel the need to attack and question peoples ability to have the discussion by claiming they are not qualified to do so.

here is the reality of why the liquor stores didn't get their way. the RLAO on behalf of it's members fought since it's creation to keep it's members as the sole point of sale for home consumption of anything but low-point beer and wines. And when a massive effort was being done in the legislature to modernize the liquor laws of Oklahoma. It was the RLAO who provided even stronger resistance than MADD and many Christian groups. the end result was that they were not brought to the table to discuss many of the changes. the CBAO lobbyist, and the lobbyist for the OGIC, as well as lobbyist for OGA were brought to the table. they set about crafting this new legislation with the legislators. And they were even willing to make some changes for liquor stores in the process. But the reason the liquor stores didn't get everything they wanted, and everything people hoped for is because their representative organization spent all of their time and money to stop it from happening at all in order to protect the strict rules and advantages they had as being the sole provider of these good, that it ended up not helping them near as much as it could have.

That is not my opinion... that is the facts of what occurred with regards to State Question 792

please feel free to add any constructive input you have to refute anything that was said there. sorry, I may not be able to respond in a timely fashion as it is almost time for me to leave work (another hour... sorry if that almost is too far of a rounding error for you)

This is like saying all the fast food places that sell pizza have a monopoly on selling fast food pizza. .

except that I can make pizza at home, and consume it there. there are pizza options available at non fast food locations... grocery stores are able to sell pizza frozen, as well as hot... gas stations can sell pizza as well. so they really wouldn't have a monopoly on it... would they...

Senate Bill 211 will allow the citizens of each county to vote whether or not they want liquor stores to be allowed to open on Sundays. The county commissioner will be allowed to set the date for the vote or a petition with signatures from 15 percent of the county’s population will also initiate a voting date in that county.

I don't think any vote can happen before October 1st. I figure this will probably be on most November ballots for counties

Thanks, I remember there was supposed to be a county by county vote, just hadn't heard anything about it and wondered how long after October 1 it would take to get that into effect. Baby steps...

It’s a bit funny going into the liqour stores these days. Literally every other person asks when the stores will start chilling beers. Total amateur hour, if you ask me.

It’s a bit funny going into the liqour stores these days. Literally every other person asks when the stores will start chilling beers. Total amateur hour, if you ask me.

They need to start thinking about installing coolers if they haven't already. If they don't, most people are going to just go to the grocery store for beer.

It’s a bit funny going into the liqour stores these days. Literally every other person asks when the stores will start chilling beers. Total amateur hour, if you ask me.


They need to start thinking about installing coolers if they haven't already. If they don't, most people are going to just go to the grocery store for beer.

Grand Cru at May and Britton already has all the coolers installed, with a countdown clock on top to let folks know when they get turned on

They need to start thinking about installing coolers if they haven't already. If they don't, most people are going to just go to the grocery store for beer.

yep, most in norman that I frequent have coolers ready to go

So does Pancho’s at Meridian and NW Exp. Also with a countdown clock.

Grand Cru at May and Britton already has all the coolers installed, with a countdown clock on top to let folks know when they get turned on

I'm surprised Byron's and Freeman's (the two I frequent) don't yet.

So does Pancho’s at Meridian and NW Exp. Also with a countdown clock.

I don't know why, but I'm surprised Pancho's is putting in coolers. It's hard enough to get around in there. I need to stop in at some point, it's been a while since I've been there.

I'm surprised Byron's and Freeman's (the two I frequent) don't yet.

Freeman's has to do some construction to get their coolers in (like Modern), and they probably both should've started already... Freeman's is going to be moving a lot of stuff around and knocking out a wall to put theirs into the space west of their current footprint (the side facing 40-whatever-th St.), so it's not going to be just bringing in some coolers, loading them up and plugging them in. Modern's in kind of the same situation - expanding into the space north of their current footprint.

Love me some Freeman's. Hadn't even thought about how they'd have to rearrange to get cooling in there, it's so packed tight already

I don't know why, but I'm surprised Pancho's is putting in coolers. It's hard enough to get around in there. I need to stop in at some point, it's been a while since I've been there.I haven’t been inside in a while either. I haven’t actually been in a lot of places the last few months. I don’t know where they put them but my guess would be in the SW corner where cases of beer have been.

Grand Cru at May and Britton already has all the coolers installed, with a countdown clock on top to let folks know when they get turned on

Are they walk in coolers?

I've been wondering if anyone is going to do the beer cave cooler setup, but haven't seen any yet. They've all been the smaller standard reach in so far.

Are they walk in coolers?

Well, they're big enough to walk in, but I don't know if that's going to be the intent.

Well, they're big enough to walk in, but I don't know if that's going to be the intent.

Yeah, I think the only people that might walk in to those are the employees stocking them from the back side.

Yeah, I think the only people that might walk in to those are the employees stocking them from the back side.

Agreed. I don't think they'll be beer caves.

The new owners of Mustang Liquor, 2 years is new to me, are installing coolers. The previous owners had split the building, booze on side and ciggys on the other. The new owners had shut down the west side (ciggy) when they took over. Now they are going to utilize that space and have a nice amount of cooler space.

^^^^

Grand Cru's will be both door open up rack access, and there's a door to the left to walk in, where all the kegs are currently stored and will continue to be stored, and they'll have the beer cave set up. At least that's what I've been told. The whole space is pretty deep, plenty of room for the product in the windows and then for customers to go in behind

^^^^

Grand Cru's will be both door open up rack access, and there's a door to the left to walk in, where all the kegs are currently stored and will continue to be stored, and they'll have the beer cave set up. At least that's what I've been told. The whole space is pretty deep, plenty of room for the product in the windows and then for customers to go in behind

Nice! I figured they'd have a pretty good set up, considering they installed their coolers quite early and have been rearranging the entire store in preparation. That door on the left is the one I saw allowing access, just didn't know customers would have access to it.

Back when I had a liquor store, ABLE has recently made a rule change about the temperature setting in the stores, because shops were setting the thermostat so low as to keep the beer a bit cooler.

I would have killed to be able to have a nice walk in beer cave back in the day. When we bough the store we had about 15 beers, and I took over that section since I'm a craft beer nut and got us to over 200 beers. I can't imagine what I could have done with a beer cave.

Back when I had a liquor store, ABLE has recently made a rule change about the temperature setting in the stores, because shops were setting the thermostat so low as to keep the beer a bit cooler.

I would have killed to be able to have a nice walk in beer cave back in the day. When we bough the store we had about 15 beers, and I took over that section since I'm a craft beer nut and got us to over 200 beers. I can't imagine what I could have done with a beer cave.

I'm really curious to see the changes a lot of these guys make. and see if they start bringing in newer beers. especially since they will be the only place to get over 10% beers... i'm hoping they basically clear out a lot of space that is currently taken up by what will probably be in grocery and gas stations... i'm really excited... i'm upset that a few stores probably won't be able to compete and might go out of business and that is never a good thing, but hopefully the overall impact of positive changes will help the others.

Back when I had a liquor store, ABLE has recently made a rule change about the temperature setting in the stores, because shops were setting the thermostat so low as to keep the beer a bit cooler.

that's interesting... as someone completely outside of the industry i wondered if there was anything to stop a shop owner (besides cost, of course) to just keep their whole store super cold to get around the regulations.

It's not just stores that cant compete unfortunately. Ever store in a 711 I've checked with has told me they're being forced out of thier lease. Most wont open somewhere else. I'm curious how many there are.

I was wondering what the change in taxation percentages of low point beer (grocery) and regular beer (liquor) is. Will this be a significant revenue increase for the state?

It's not just stores that cant compete unfortunately. Ever store in a 711 I've checked with has told me they're being forced out of thier lease. Most wont open somewhere else. I'm curious how many there are.

Most of those liquor stores would probably fail anyways since they typically only offer a very basic selection. I avoid those stores even under the current law. Freeman's is my favorite.

Most of those liquor stores would probably fail anyways since they typically only offer a very basic selection. I avoid those stores even under the current law. Freeman's is my favorite.

That's a pretty broad generalization with no basis to make. Many of the stores located withing 711 building are quality, were recruited as renters, spent tons of money getting licensed, and followed the rules in place for years.

Agreed. I don't think they'll be beer caves.

JR's in Stillwater just stocked their new walk in beer cave. I had to ask for help in finding the beer I wanted in there. They look forward to turning on the cooling Oct. 1.

I was wondering what the change in taxation percentages of low point beer (grocery) and regular beer (liquor) is. Will this be a significant revenue increase for the state?

It's gotta mean more revenue. But I bet plenty of people will be complaining about the higher prices of regular beer. For the time being, I imagine a lot of people are loving the reduced prices of low point beer in Wal-Mart. I guess beer companies are anxious to get rid of it.

It's gotta mean more revenue. But I bet plenty of people will be complaining about the higher prices of regular beer. For the time being, I imagine a lot of people are loving the reduced prices of low point beer in Wal-Mart. I guess beer companies are anxious to get rid of it.

I shop at Grand Cru, so I'm already used to paying more for beer than almost anywhere else in the city :)

JR's in Stillwater just stocked their new walk in beer cave. I had to ask for help in finding the beer I wanted in there. They look forward to turning on the cooling Oct. 1.

I haven't been inside the one at Grand Cru, but it just didn't look big enough to have customers milling about inside. John has disproven my theory, and I look forward to freezing my butt off while perusing the very cold beer in the cave.

I was wondering what the change in taxation percentages of low point beer (grocery) and regular beer (liquor) is. Will this be a significant revenue increase for the state?

It’s pennies. An extra $1,000,000 (maybe that much) is a rounding error against a $7 billion budget.