Tulsa Liquor Store Confident New Laws Won't Hurt Business

Mom and pop liquor stores across the state are finding creative ways to compete against big retailers as new liquor laws go into effect.

10/1/2018 Related Story: Grocery Stores Now Selling Strong Beer, Wine In Oklahoma

Now that customers have more options on what, when, and where they can buy beer, liquor or wine, some local liquor stores say they’re making sure they keep an edge on the competition. 

Their tactic? To remain authentic. 

Monday was the first day of a historic change for liquor laws in Oklahoma but at Tulsa's Modern Spirits it's business as usual.

“Having every QuikTrip, Reasor's, Walmart and everybody else out there having strong beer and wine obviously that cuts into what we can do but on the other hand we get to sell other things. I don't think it really it’s going to hurt us that much," said Alex Rector with Modern Spirits. 

But that doesn't mean Modern Spirits isn't making some changes.

Rector said the focus is on staying authentic to their brand and vamping up the inventory that sets them apart from their competition like spirits, craft beers, and high-end wines. 

“Bedlam is actually a rice vodka...the price point is somewhere around Tito's slightly less. This is probably one of the smoothest vodkas I have ever had," Rector said. "We really want to keep our customers happy, we want to focus on our customers and make sure that whatever it is that we have and the reasons that they keep coming back, we're still doing that."

Rector said the shop is waiting to see how the new liquor laws affect the market and their customers before they make any major changes to their store.

"We are planning on putting refrigeration in, but we plan on waiting a little bit," Rector said. "Instead of doing a giant walk-in beer cave, we are talking about possibly doing a wine cellar instead."

As local shops make changes in order to keep an edge on their competition, many Oklahomans say the new laws are a step in the right direction for the state. 
"The state that I am from we have had this for about 15 years. We didn't see this surge in abuse or criminal activity because ‘oh no, we are drinking 6 point beer’," said customer Joseph Watt "I just think it's about time that Oklahoma progresses."