A big change for liquor sales could be in the works for Oklahoma.Oklahomans could soon go into a grocery store and buy a bottle of liquor if a national retailer gets in its way.KOCO 5 learned that Walmart is in the initial phase of making this a reality in Oklahoma. This would be a pretty huge update to Oklahoma’s liquor laws.Imagine walking into a grocery store and being able to buy eggs, bread, milk and a bottle of liquor. That could one day be the reality in Oklahoma.According to the Retail Liquor Association of Oklahoma, Walmart is making plans to push for liquor sales in Oklahoma grocery stores.”We came across a copy of an email written by Pat McFerron, Walmart’s lobbyist in Oklahoma, that went out to all the alcohol lobbyists in Oklahoma,” said Robert Jernigan, president of the Retail Liquor Association.Jernigan said Walmart has hired an OKC political consultant to begin lobbying Oklahoma’s legislature.”They are supposed to have their first summit on the subject in the second week of September,” Jernigan said.If Oklahoma does one day allow liquor sales at grocery stores, we would join 18 other states that already allow it. It would also be the first major overhaul of Oklahoma alcohol laws since 2016 when voters passed state question 792 which allowed wine and full-strength beer to be sold in grocery stores for the first time.The measure passed by more than 65%. Jernigan worries about what impact this would have on local liquor stores.”After state question 792 passed most stores lost about 30 % of their sales. This will be no different,” Jernigan said.KOCO 5 reached out to both Walmart and the firm they hired but did not hear back before the deadline.
A big change for liquor sales could be in the works for Oklahoma.
Oklahomans could soon go into a grocery store and buy a bottle of liquor if a national retailer gets in its way.
KOCO 5 learned that Walmart is in the initial phase of making this a reality in Oklahoma. This would be a pretty huge update to Oklahoma’s liquor laws.
Imagine walking into a grocery store and being able to buy eggs, bread, milk and a bottle of liquor. That could one day be the reality in Oklahoma.
According to the Retail Liquor Association of Oklahoma, Walmart is making plans to push for liquor sales in Oklahoma grocery stores.
“We came across a copy of an email written by Pat McFerron, Walmart’s lobbyist in Oklahoma, that went out to all the alcohol lobbyists in Oklahoma,” said Robert Jernigan, president of the Retail Liquor Association.
Jernigan said Walmart has hired an OKC political consultant to begin lobbying Oklahoma’s legislature.
“They are supposed to have their first summit on the subject in the second week of September,” Jernigan said.
If Oklahoma does one day allow liquor sales at grocery stores, we would join 18 other states that already allow it. It would also be the first major overhaul of Oklahoma alcohol laws since 2016 when voters passed state question 792 which allowed wine and full-strength beer to be sold in grocery stores for the first time.
The measure passed by more than 65%. Jernigan worries about what impact this would have on local liquor stores.
“After state question 792 passed most stores lost about 30 % of their sales. This will be no different,” Jernigan said.
KOCO 5 reached out to both Walmart and the firm they hired but did not hear back before the deadline.
https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-liquor-sales/40995579
