Murray Issues First Retail Alcohol Licenses

Murray’s Alcohol Beverage Control Administrator has issued the city’s first retail alcohol licenses. Sergeant Kendra Clere says two gas stations and a pharmacy received beer licenses today. Clere expects to issue more alcohol licenses this week as state ABC officials confirm more applications. However, package alcohol stores will likely not open for several more weeks because the process of reviewing those applications takes longer.

Clere says 15 individuals have applied for package store licenses, but state quotas limit the city to eight package store locations. ABC Attorney Steve Humphress says applicants must submit economic impact surveys to help make their case for the limited licenses. ABC site inspectors will also base their decisions on quality of proposed locations, and comment from local officials.

The city voted in July to allow retail alcohol sales. Murray previously only allowed liquor-by-the-drink sales.