Some Rogers County Businesses See Sunday Liquor Sales As Growth Opportunity

Some businesses in Rogers County hope to keep the liquor flowing all weekend long. Right now the county does not allow strong drinks to be sold on Sundays, but that could change in two weeks.

Bars could keep buzzing right through Sunday and into Monday if the proposal passes on June 24, 2014. It would allow all beer, wine or liquor to be served on Sundays; something Rogers County residents have never seen.

1/16/2014 Related Story: Rogers County Voters May Decide On Sunday Liquor Sales At Restaurants, Bars

Right now, no drink above 3.2 percent alcohol content is served on Sundays in Rogers County.

Karen Butler, with Route 66 Sports Bar, said, "'I'd like to get a cocktail,' and it's like, 'Well, I'm sorry, we don't serve liquor on Sundays,' and they go, 'Well, where's the closest place?'"

That's how bar and restaurant managers say they lose thousands of dollars in sales on Sundays, but a vote in two weeks could change that.

"Tulsa's got it, Owasso's got it, now it's our turn to get it," said Dwayne Caldwell.

Caldwell is behind the movement to allow high alcohol content beer, wine and liquor sales at bars and restaurants on Sundays.

He said Rogers County is losing out on more than $200,000 in sales tax each year because of the Sunday shutdown.

"They kinda get sad," laughed Chantal Vidal with El Maguey.

Vidal said her Claremore customers want margaritas on Sundays.

"It's a little extra money that would help us," she said.

Butler said, "We'd love to be able to serve liquor on Sundays and not lose our customers to other counties."

She said more restaurants might come to the county if it allowed Sunday alcohol sales.

"You know, they might like to eat at Olive Garden, they might like to eat at Red Lobster. Well, we can't offer those here because they won't come in because the way our liquor laws are," said Butler.

Bob and Gloria Theall said they don't drink and don't like the idea of selling more alcohol, but they do like the idea of an Olive Garden.

"I like the Olive Garden. We'll eat over there, but we don't drink," the couple said.

The main argument is that Rogers County needs to sell alcohol on Sundays in order to grow. In order for that to happen, the vote on June 24th must pass with a simple majority.

If passed, the proposal would also allow liquor sales on Thanksgiving and Christmas.