Thursday, November 09, 2017

The Heights is no longer dry

Over the course of two election cycles, a century-old local example of the state's screwy liquor laws has finally gone by the wayside:
With 2 successful ballot initiatives in successive years, the rules that for more than 100 years restricted alcohol sales within the portion of the Houston Heights that was once a separate city have now been whittled down to a single prohibition: Grocery and convenience stores in the area are still not allowed to sell liquor.
I don't think grocery and convenience stores anywhere in the State of Texas are allowed to sell liquor, actually, so there's nothing special about that. The Heights is now just as wet as the rest of Houston.
In yesterday’s election, 1,479 Heights residents voted in favor of allowing the sales of mixed drinks in the district — in effect ending the quirky gotta-join-a-club loophole run through by alcohol-serving restaurants. 960 voted against.
I've yet to order a mixed drink in a Heights bar, but having dealt with the "private club" regulations when I lived in north Texas - they were absolutely ridiculous and didn't stop anybody from getting drunk - I know bar owners and patrons are glad to see them go.

The alcohol prohibition in the Heights dated back to 1912 and remained in place after the town was merged into the City of Houston two years later. Houstonia has more.

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