This week, Columbia County residents again heard from the Alcoholic Beverage Control division about the process of applying for alcohol permits, only this time, the topic pertained to liquor stores rather than in-store sales of beer and wine.
It has been almost five months since voters changed Columbia County from a dry county to a wet one. Immediately following the Nov. 4 election, Rick Crisman, deputy director of the ABC, spoke at a Town Hall meeting, answering questions from the public about how beer and wine permits are applied for and issued by the state.
Since then, alcohol has appeared on store shelves across Magnolia and Columbia County, with at least two restaurants now offering libations with meals. We don’t know if crime or instances of domestic violence have seen a spike with the arrival of alcohol, but in most ways, life in our county seems unchanged. Crisman pointed this out last Tuesday night, joking, “It’s nice to see Magnolia is still here.”
Fewer than 20 people turned out for Crisman’s Q&A Tuesday night at Union Street Station. It seemed that either most people have already had their questions about liquor store permits answered, or there aren’t all that many interested in applying for liquor store permits. Or perhaps there was some other reason for the low turnout. Town hall numbers notwithstanding, the State of Arkansas will permit only four liquor stores in Columbia County (based on the population results of the last Census). As Crisman said, it probably will not take the ABC board long to hear applicants in August and make its “yea” or “nay” decisions.
Some interesting points were made Tuesday night which we think bear repeating, all reinforcing the fact that owning and operating a liquor store won’t be as easy as it might seem. The state places numerous restrictions on liquor stores. For example, we did not realize that, in Crisman’s words, “you can’t turn a liquor store into a convenience store.” ABC forbids the sale of almost everything except alcohol and alcohol-related products in liquor stores.
The state board will also listen to all legitimate arguments against a liquor store application. It also takes seriously rules concerning proximity to a school or church (day cares don’t count, certain college buildings do), and such things as traffic hazards are also taken into account when considering a liquor store application.
Our takeaway was that liquor stores are permitted and must operate under tight rules and regulations. Again to quote Crisman, it is a privilege, not a right. We are comforted that such scrutiny is applied to a business that still has the disapproval of many thoughtful folks in our county. Potential liquor store owners must jump through many more hoops than other those of other types of businesses. That probably is as it should be.
As to when and where the first liquor store will open? We won’t find that out until August. Nothing happens overnight in this process. It will be interesting to see where the first one opens and who owns it. As is true of most things, time will tell.