PSA: Liqour stores in TX closed 12/26 and 1/2

[MissingInAction 25106]

Reason eleventy billion to GTFO of Texas.

Since both Christmas and New Years day fall on a Sunday, Texas liqour stores will be closed the following monday in observance of the holidays.

[Brothahorn 10087]

Reason eleventy billion to GTFO of Texas.
Since both Christmas and New Years day fall on a Sunday, Texas liqour stores will be closed the following monday in observance of the holidays.

[RPM 26322]

It's been this way since the 40's. They close at 9PM. But if a fella wanted to obtain some party liquor he would need to know a local bootlegger and pay that 50% upcharge.

[Litig8r 414]

I know we are Cray in FLA but you guys still have those blue laws and shit.  I remember visiting some friends in Houston back in the 80s and they couldn't by toilet paper on Sunday.  

[HouTex 1878]

1 hour ago, MissingInAction said:

Reason eleventy billion to GTFO of Texas.

Since both Christmas and New Years day fall on a Sunday, Texas liqour stores will be closed the following monday in observance of the holidays.

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!

I agree it’s a stupid law, but if you can’t plan just a little ahead and stock up then it’s your fault.  

[MissingInAction 25106]

32 minutes ago, HouTex said:

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!

I agree it’s a stupid law, but if you can’t plan just a little ahead and stock up then it’s your fault.  

 

I should not be told when I can and can't buy anything unless there's an immediate danger if I do so. 

Why cant i buy booze when any lunatic in the state can buy an assault rifle on the "lords day"?

That being said I have planned ahead. The upcoming Siberian cock punch prompted me to do so.

Edited December 21, 2022 by MissingInAction
I'm idoit

[Spaulding Smails 1553]

If you get bored, go back and look at the original list of items prohibited from being sold on certain days.  The one that always stuck out to me was pots and pans.  WTF?  How did that ever get passed into law?  Is there such thing as a kitchen implement teetotaler?

The two big ones that I think are still in place are alcohol on Sundays / holidays and car dealerships not being open on both a Saturday and a Sunday.  Unless that last one has been repealed.  

I got shot down by a convenience store clerk September 1.  Forgot to load my cooler the night before, and tried to buy a sixer of Lone Star at 6 AM on the way to the field for opening day of dove season.  Nope.  

[danhorn111 55]

Just have to plan ahead.  Liquor stores around me have been closed since 1940. 😒

[SHOOTER12 8810]

52 minutes ago, HouTex said:

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!

I agree it’s a stupid law, but if you can’t plan just a little ahead and stock up then it’s your fault.  

Yep just buy a case of whiskey on the 23rd or 24th, and the 29th or 30th.  With bad weather possible,  it's a good strategy anyway. 🤪

[SHOOTER12 8810]

33 minutes ago, MissingInAction said:

 

I should not be told when I can and can't buy anything unless there's an immediate danger if I do so. 

Why cant i buy booze when any lunatic in the state can buy an assault rifle on the "lords day"?

That being said I have planned ahead. The upcoming Siberian cock punch prompted me to do so.

You can buy an assault rifle to support your Onward Christian Soldiers.

Dang man, you didn't know that?

[4th&Five 41558]

So dumb but still not as dumb as not having legal weed.

[Guest]

On 12/21/2022 at 11:22 AM, MissingInAction said:

Reason eleventy billion to GTFO of Texas.

Since both Christmas and New Years day fall on a Sunday, Texas liqour stores will be closed the following monday in observance of the holidays.

I am a lover of beer and bourbon, so don't take this the wrong way-

Why the fuck are you locked in to buying on the 'day of' or the day the holiday is observed?  A shit ton of other folks get an extra day off for the holidays- what's wrong with the liquor store employees getting theirs?

The product is not a spoil risk by most measures, so why not buy ahead?

Then there's my other side that says if a store wants to open to serve their customers, then, why the fuck not?

Should be the choice of the store, not the state, IMHO.

[YGIFS 19452]

Always remember that gambling is a sin.  Unless the Texas Government runs it.  In the form of scratch-offs.  And buying liquor from a grocery store is a sin.  But if  it's from a liquor store on Saturday evening, then it's totally cool with Jesus.  But please smoke 'em if you got 'em at bingo night!   

Because, we're Texas.  We're hypocritical.  And we're fucking stupid.  

[Brothahorn 10087]

On 12/21/2022 at 1:00 PM, MissingInAction said:

 

I should not be told when I can and can't buy anything unless there's an immediate danger if I do so. 

Why cant i buy booze when any one who passes a background check in the state can buy an assault rifle on the "lords day"?

That being said I have planned ahead. The upcoming Siberian cock punch prompted me to do so.

agreed.

[66BUFF 2564]

On 12/30/2022 at 4:02 PM, YGIFS said:

Always remember that gambling is a sin.  Unless the Texas Government runs it.  In the form of scratch-offs.  And buying liquor from a grocery store is a sin.  But if  it's from a liquor store on Saturday evening, then it's totally cool with Jesus.  But please smoke 'em if you got 'em at bingo night!   

Because, we're Texas.  We're hypocritical.  And we're fucking stupid.  

Same laws in Colorado.

[YGIFS 19452]

10 minutes ago, 66BUFF said:

Same laws in Colorado.

Yeah, that weirded me out.  I guess whenever I've been there before, it was just buying beer to take fishing/camping or whatever.  But was there in June for a wedding and we're renting a house.  Literally down the hill is a CBD dispensary attached to a gas station.  They were selling 60% THC grade weed, but the grocery store we went to couldn't sell wine.  Like, at all. Not any day/hour of the week.  Thought that was very strange for such a "laid back" state.  Finally found a liquor store to get some wine and champagne, and was half expecting to have to buy some membership like in Utah.  

[Guest]

Liquor laws have fuck-all to do with logic, much less public safety.

They are civic  corruption on full display.

[Zepol87 9188]

Started traveling a shit ton for work the last 18 months. Buying liquor in Winn Dixie was pretty cool. Pittsburgh was very weird with alcohol though. States are all fucked with this shit. 

[RPM 26322]

Be sure to check the proof of the liquor you buy in a grocery store. Some states like Ohio limit it to 40 proof.

[elfenix 34310]

Be sure to check the proof of the liquor you buy in a grocery store. Some states like Ohio limit it to 40 proof.

Pretty sure the Weller antique I saw in Kroger there was the real shit

[SimonBolivar 10958]

1 hour ago, RPM said:

Be sure to check the proof of the liquor you buy in a grocery store. Some states like Ohio limit it to 40 proof.

Like how they sell "fireball" at Wal-Mart in Texas.

[Gil Bang 25975]

4 minutes ago, SimonBolivar said:

Like how they sell "fireball" at Wal-Mart in Texas.

beer-only gas stations out here often sell fireball. 

[CooterBrown 18014]

beer-only gas stations out here often sell fireball. 

It’s fireball malt liquor not the whatever fireball is considered spirit.

[Gil Bang 25975]

16 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

It’s fireball malt liquor not the whatever fireball is considered spirit.

yeah, I get it.  It's still horribad. 

So, my local liquor store was sold.  It closed for a few days, remodeled, and reopened under new ownership.  I walk in, and it's really nice.  They cleaned the place up, new lighting, flooring, shelves, etc.  Behind the counter, top shelf, front and center, a bottle of Pappy.   $2500 IIRC.  I complimented the new owner on the remodel, he introduced himself, and I asked about the Pappy. Dude (Middle Eastern, of course) tells me that he and his partners own 3 other stores, and want this one to be the flagship, so he wanted to be the only store in SD county with Pappy on the shelf.    He twisted his distributor's arm.  Distributor tells him, I'll get you a bottle of Pappy, but you have to buy 100 cases of Fireball.

Owner says to tell anybody I know that drinks the swill that he's selling it at cost just to get it the fuck out of his store.

 

 

[Gil Bang 25975]

I'm almost certain that Fireball is the official spirit of Fraternity date rape

[cactusflinthead 27601]

On 12/21/2022 at 1:02 PM, Spaulding Smails said:

If you get bored, go back and look at the original list of items prohibited from being sold on certain days.  The one that always stuck out to me was pots and pans.  WTF?  How did that ever get passed into law?  Is there such thing as a kitchen implement teetotaler?

The two big ones that I think are still in place are alcohol on Sundays / holidays and car dealerships not being open on both a Saturday and a Sunday.  Unless that last one has been repealed.  

I got shot down by a convenience store clerk September 1.  Forgot to load my cooler the night before, and tried to buy a sixer of Lone Star at 6 AM on the way to the field for opening day of dove season.  Nope.  

I remember seeing hammers taped off at the Homers. 

"But, what if they need a hammer to fix something?"

"I know son. It doesn't make sense."

[SHOOTER12 8810]

3 hours ago, SimonBolivar said:

Like how they sell "fireball" at Wal-Mart in Texas.

Shit?? They do??

[Covri 6249]

11 hours ago, SHOOTER12 said:

Shit?? They do??

They are 16.5% malt alcohol so they can legally sell them along beer and wine. "Fireball Cinnamon" versus the real stuff which is "Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey."

[tbone_ 14128]

I buy my Jack Daniel’s 7 days a week at Fry’s in AZ. Like God intended.

[SHOOTER12 8810]

2 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

I buy my Jack Daniel’s 7 days a week at Fry’s in AZ. Like God intended.

When I worked in Kentucky in 1980, I  freaked out when I walked into a liquor store for the first time and there were 8 to 10 people inside drinking away on various types of hard liquor.

[RPM 26322]

18 hours ago, SHOOTER12 said:

When I worked in Kentucky in 1980, I  freaked out when I walked into a liquor store for the first time and there were 8 to 10 people inside drinking away on various types of hard liquor.

Kind of the same experience when I walked into a bar in Wyoming and they sold bottles of liquor to go. What is this magical place I've entered?

[Guest]

Yesterday I worked a little and then hit the liquor store 2 blocks from our office.  I bring some beer up to the counter at 9:56 AM.

Young lady is very nice, but has to let me know, "We can't run the register until 10:00."

Me " So it's a hard start at 10AM eh?.  I did not know that. Glad they are protecting us..."

It's not a big deal, of course, but holy shit these laws are stupid.

 

[cactusflinthead 27601]

7 minutes ago, slorch said:

Yesterday I worked a little and then hit the liquor store 2 blocks from our office.  I bring some beer up to the counter at 9:56 AM.

Young lady is very nice, but has to let me know, "We can't run the register until 10:00."

Me " So it's a hard start at 10AM eh?.  I did not know that. Glad they are protecting us..."

It's not a big deal, of course, but holy shit these laws are stupid.

 

Similar experience on a Sunday with beer. Getting groceries and it wouldn't ring up the sixer. After a couple of tries the cash register monitor came over and said, "You can't buy beer before noon sir."

Stupid bullshit.

[Gil Bang 25975]

So, about 15 years ago, I'm building a surgery center in York, PA. 

I'm out there with two co-workers.  We are staying at a hotel with no restaurant or bar, because York is a shithole.

At the end of a busy day, we're driving back to the hotel and the "where are we having dinner" conversation starts.  I say "fuck it, I'm out, I've got work to do so I'm gonna go to my room, have a pizza delivered and drink a couple of beers.  My co-workers both agree that it's a good idea, and say they'll do the same.  We make a deal that I will drop them off, one of them will order a pizza for me, and I'll go out and get beer for me and the other guy, and a bottle of wine for the woman. 

I pull up in front of the hotel, run in to the front desk, and ask where I can buy beer and wine.  

"Well, for wine, you will have to go to the wine and spirits store over on X road, but they won't sell beer.  Beer is sold at beer distributors, is only sold by the case, and is not refrigerated.  But, there's a loophole.  Some taverns will sell beer by the 6 pack".   Fuck me. 

So, I go to the wine and spirits store, get a bottle of cab from their limited, shitty selection, and head out looking for a tavern.   I spot a roadside joint, walk in, and through the thick cloud of cigarette smoke, I spot a glass-door cooler over in the corner.  I grab a sixer of beer for me, and a sixer of another kind of beer for the co-worker.  

I walk over and put them on the bar.  Over the loud music, the bartender comes over and says how much I owe her.  I pay, grab the beer, and start to walk out.  I realize that the bartender is yelling at me.  I turn around and "WTF?? I paid you didn't I?".  She's like "what the fuck are you doing?" and then says "oh, you're not from here are you?"

"No, I'm not from here.  What's the problem?

She says "you can't carry both sixers out at the same time.  State law.  You need to make two trips". 

Guy on the nearest barstool says he's going to his car for more cigarettes, so he'll carry the other one to my car for me. 

 

A few years later they changed the laws and now, I believe, sell beer in supermarkets.

[Gil Bang 25975]

another csb:  my kid was in basic training at Ft. Benning GA.    In the middle of it, he got a "family weekend" off.   His mother and I are long divorced, so "family" was me.   I asked what he wanted to do, and he said I don't want to do shit except watch football and sleep.  So, I rented a two-bedroom hotel suite.  We watched football saturday and sunday.  On sunday morning, I realized our beer supply was low, so I went out for more.  I learned that they didn't sell beer in GA on Sunday.  So, I drove over to Phenix City AL, to the Piggly Wiggly, and bought beer for the day.

 

So fucking stupid.

[Longhornstampede 3184]

11 hours ago, slorch said:

Yesterday I worked a little and then hit the liquor store 2 blocks from our office.  I bring some beer up to the counter at 9:56 AM.

Young lady is very nice, but has to let me know, "We can't run the register until 10:00."

Me " So it's a hard start at 10AM eh?.  I did not know that. Glad they are protecting us..."

It's not a big deal, of course, but holy shit these laws are stupid.

 

That's especially frustrating because liquor stores won't sell ANYTHING before 10am even though you can walk into a grocery store at 7am and buy the same beer you were trying to buy. How did the liquor store even let you in the door before 10am in the first place?

[Guest]

I'm a regular, so they recognized me;  and they had their doors open.

[Brothahorn 10087]

Like how they sell "fireball" at Wal-Mart in Texas.

How does that work? I've noticed Cstores selling that and other brands.

[Guest]

On 1/14/2023 at 1:01 PM, Covri said:

They are 16.5% malt alcohol so they can legally sell them along beer and wine. "Fireball Cinnamon" versus the real stuff which is "Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey."

This how it work

[YGIFS 19452]

csb/ a fraternity brother of mine (he's much older) has been wildly successful in that wine-based liquor space (17%).  Called Premium Blend Cocktail Products.  The niche is mocks top shelf liquors/digestifs instead of the low-brow paper bag labels.  I didn't think there'd be a market for 17% wine-based liquor at 40% distilled spirits prices.  But apparently it's a niche that's blowing up.  He says that they do like 90% of their business in just a handful of states where the hard liquor sales laws are really goofy (like Texas).  And he and other manufacturers like him actively lobby states to keep liquor sales very restricted which helps their sales.  

I remember moving to Texas and wondering how in the world Taco Cabana could serve margaritas alongside beer. I knew enough to know they didn't have a liquor license.  Turns out it was wine-based.  I would think you could probably sell quite a bit of this shit at fast food places where the person wants something besides a beer.  But most of their stuff is sold at convenience stores and mid-level grocers.  I know they don't want to distribute to Texas liquor stores because of the wholesaler cartel.  HEB would their holy grail if they can ever get in there. 

I wonder if one day when grocery stores are allowed to sell hard liquor in Texas, if HEB will go along with it or get on their moral high horse again.  They'd instantly become the largest seller of liquor in the state of Texas, by far.  They'd drive Spec's and Total Wine into the ground.  Total Wine has an incredible selection of small labels, but 80% of theirr sales are just everyday staples that people could get at HEB, assuming the pricing was competitive.    

[Jerry Callo 8704]

TABC puts out the TABC Guide for Manufacturers, Wholesalers, Distributors & Retailers.  Last one I saw was 184 pages long.  When your FAQ's are 184 pages long, the industry might be a little over regulated.

[WhatTheBuck 28788]

On 1/13/2023 at 9:21 PM, RPM said:

Be sure to check the proof of the liquor you buy in a grocery store. Some states like Ohio limit it to 40 proof.

We can buy that at the drive-thru.

The trend now is for the grocery stores to buy up the liquor licenses of the state stores and move them into the grocery stores. So you can buy liquor at the grocery store but the liquor store closes at 9 pm. At standalone stores it’s 10 pm.

It kind of sucks because I used to have a liquor store that was practically right across the street from me. Maybe a walk of about a city block. Not only was it a short walk but it was the only place in town where I could find Red Tail Ale from Mendocino Brewing Co. Since they moved to the Giant Eagle store, I haven’t seen it. I liked that stuff. I used to buy it on tap whenever I went to San Francisco and it was nice to find it at home.

[Guest]

On 1/16/2023 at 1:39 PM, Jerry Callo said:

TABC puts out the TABC Guide for Manufacturers, Wholesalers, Distributors & Retailers.  Last one I saw was 184 pages long.  When your FAQ's are 184 pages long, the industry might be a little over regulated.

Don't you appreciate that blanket of freedom they provide?  Seems like many liquor laws are more about manipulating/ controlling access to the market than anything else.

Call me cynical, but I don't feel( or need to be) that protected.

See also: Gaming laws/ regulation

[MissingInAction 25106]

On 1/15/2023 at 7:20 PM, Gil Bang said:

another csb:  my kid was in basic training at Ft. Benning GA.    In the middle of it, he got a "family weekend" off.   His mother and I are long divorced, so "family" was me.   I asked what he wanted to do, and he said I don't want to do shit except watch football and sleep.  So, I rented a two-bedroom hotel suite.  We watched football saturday and sunday.  On sunday morning, I realized our beer supply was low, so I went out for more.  I learned that they didn't sell beer in GA on Sunday.  So, I drove over to Phenix City AL, to the Piggly Wiggly, and bought beer for the day.

 

So fucking stupid.

Was your boy too young to buy booze at the PX? Stupid state laws don't apply there.

When I was stationed at Fort Gordon I'd score booze for civilian locals on sundays at a 25% tax. 

Edited January 22, 2023 by MissingInAction

[Upgrayedd 5814]

On 1/14/2023 at 11:06 AM, tbone_ said:

I buy my Jack Daniel’s 7 days a week at Fry’s in AZ. Like God intended.

Wasn’t always that way though.  Pre-NFL, couldn’t buy until noon on Sunday.  After the Cards came to town, it was moved forward to 10 am.  In 2010 they removed the Sunday time restriction altogether.

On Election Day you couldn’t buy until the polls closed.  I don’t know when that went away.

[SHOOTER12 8810]

On 1/16/2023 at 12:47 PM, YGIFS said:

csb/ a fraternity brother of mine (he's much older) has been wildly successful in that wine-based liquor space (17%).  Called Premium Blend Cocktail Products.  The niche is mocks top shelf liquors/digestifs instead of the low-brow paper bag labels.  I didn't think there'd be a market for 17% wine-based liquor at 40% distilled spirits prices.  But apparently it's a niche that's blowing up.  He says that they do like 90% of their business in just a handful of states where the hard liquor sales laws are really goofy (like Texas).  And he and other manufacturers like him actively lobby states to keep liquor sales very restricted which helps their sales.  

I remember moving to Texas and wondering how in the world Taco Cabana could serve margaritas alongside beer. I knew enough to know they didn't have a liquor license.  Turns out it was wine-based.  I would think you could probably sell quite a bit of this shit at fast food places where the person wants something besides a beer.  But most of their stuff is sold at convenience stores and mid-level grocers.  I know they don't want to distribute to Texas liquor stores because of the wholesaler cartel.  HEB would their holy grail if they can ever get in there. 

I wonder if one day when grocery stores are allowed to sell hard liquor in Texas, if HEB will go along with it or get on their moral high horse again.  They'd instantly become the largest seller of liquor in the state of Texas, by far.  They'd drive Spec's and Total Wine into the ground.  Total Wine has an incredible selection of small labels, but 80% of theirr sales are just everyday staples that people could get at HEB, assuming the pricing was competitive.    

Years ago my favorite Mexican restaurant in the whole world, Don Pedro's in San Antonio sold margaritas that were wine based. I didn't know that. All I knew is 3 would put you on your ass. One evening I asked our waiter what kind of tequila they used and he said "none, we don't have a liquor license". Needless to say I was floored and didn't know if I really believed him(still not sure I do today),  because those things were unbelievably stout.

Edited January 22, 2023 by SHOOTER12

[shakahorn 1645]

Just reading the words ‘wine based margarita’ gives me a splitting headache.

[Gil Bang 25975]

On 1/13/2023 at 8:07 PM, CooterBrown said:

It’s fireball malt liquor not the whatever fireball is considered spirit.

 

[Brothahorn 10087]

 

Anna sounds like a real winner in life.

[HRSchenker 2271]

I've always found "bar" law to be weird in other states. Oklahoma has a rule where you can't sit at the bar unless you're 21. Utah for awhile had a rule where a bartender couldn't make a drink in front of you. They either had to go to the back or put up something called a "zion curtain" which is just frosted glass that hides drinks being mixed. Washington State has a bar area that includes seating around the actual bar. I was in Seattle a few months ago and I got carded for water. They told me I could only sit at the bar if I was 21 but I wasn't at the bar I was at a table near the bar. I guess state law doesn't recognize a difference between a bar area and the actual bar. Really weird.