LITTLE ROCK — When Arkansas’ Alcoholic Beverage Control division meets Jan. 16, it will consider 63 applications to sell beer in three counties that previously forbade the sale of alcohol — Benton, Madison and Sharp counties
Voters in those counties approved alcohol sales Nov. 6 for the first time since the 1940s.
The vast majority of those applications — 60 — came from Benton County. Only two businesses in Madison County and one in Sharp County had applied for permits to sell beer by Wednesday, the deadline to have permits considered at the January meeting.
“Convenience-store chains were ready to go,” said Michael Langley, director of the Alcoholic Beverage Control division.
Of the Benton County applications, 41 were for retail beer and small-farm wine permits; 12 were for retail beer permits; six were for restaurant beer and wine permits; and one was for a wholesale beer permit. Three retailers accounted for most of the Benton County applications: 15 for E-Z Mart, 10 for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and eight for Kum & Go.
In Madison County, Wal-Mart applied for a retail beer and wine permit, and Lolos Mexican Grill in Huntsville applied to sell beer and wine to be consumed at the restaurant. In Sharp County, the only application was from a Wal-Mart store in Ash Flat for the sale of beer and wine.
Bob Barton, who spearheaded the alcohol drive in Madison County, said he was surprised at the small number of applicants so far.
Barton said some Madison County residents might not want to look too eager. The county has been dry since 1946.
“There may be some people around who are planning on doing it, but they’re not in any huge hurry,” he said.
Chana Usrey, who owns Chana’s Corner, a gas station and convenience store on Arkansas 23 midway between Huntsville and Eureka Springs, said she plans to apply for a permit — she just needs to fill out the paperwork.
Usrey has missed the chance for her application to be considered at the Jan. 16 meeting, but that’s fine with her. Her store can be considered in February instead.
“We’re just looking at it as being an extra draw,” she said. “It’s going to be kind of like the lottery, just another draw to get them in the store.”
Usrey said she’s not sure if she’ll apply to sell only beer or beer and small-farm wine.
Sabrina Reed, co-owner of 412 Express in Huntsville, said she apparently also missed the deadline to be considered at the January meeting. She mailed her application last week, so her application likely will be considered in February instead.
“I can wait that long,” she said. “I’m not that impatient.”
The Alcoholic Beverage Control division can give an unlimited number of permits to sell beer and small-farm wine, said Langley. Liquorstore permits are harder to get. Only one liquor-store permit is allowed for every 4,000 residents of a county. That means Benton County can receive 55 liquor-store permits, Sharp County can have four, and Madison County can get three.
Liquor-store permits won’t be considered until March, said Judy Chwalinski, Langley’s assistant.
Arkansas, Pages 16 on 12/22/2012