Fayetteville Restaurant Owners Seek Sunday Liquor Sales

The owners of several Fayetteville restaurants began a petition drive in early November to have Sunday liquor sales approved for eateries in the city. A total of 1,858 signatures of registered Fayetteville voters is required to call for the election.

Currently, restaurants in Fayetteville must be private clubs to be able to serve liquor, beer or wine on Sundays. Last year, city residents voted by a margin of 4-to-1 to allow restaurants to serve liquor by the drink each day of the week except Sundays.

Prior to last year’s vote, restaurants had to be private clubs to serve liquor by the drink. Being a private club entailed charging customers a $5 per year membership fee, which many customers, particularly those from out of town, considered a hassle even though the amount could legally be subtracted from the customer’s food bill. Before the 1996 vote, restaurants could serve beer and wine without being a private club but not hard liquor.

Milton Lueken, a lawyer with the Arkansas Bureau of Alcoholic Beverage Control, says state law allows restaurants to sell liquor by the drink from noon to 10 p.m. on Sundays if voters approve.

John Gilliam, owner of Ozark Brewing Co. on Dickson Street, is spearheading the effort.

“The private club membership laws don’t really work anymore,” he says. “It’s hurting hospitality, basically.”

If the campaign is successful, Fayetteville will be one of seven Arkansas cities that has Sunday liquor-by-the-drink sales.

tttttttttt—Bill Bowden