Support by local merchants for liquor sales on Sunday was unanimous, so it’s no surprise the reaction to the passing of two county questions last Tuesday received a unanimous response.

“We’re glad it turned out the way it did,” said Gary Wilson, Kingfisher Golf Course club pro.

“Hopefully business on Sundays will return to normal in a few weeks.”

Similar responses were received from owners and/or managers of restaurants and bars in Kingfisher when county residents overwhelmingly sided with their views on being able to sell liquor and high-point beer on the first day of the week.

One county question asked if retail liquor stores should be able to open their doors on Sundays.

Of the 2,894 ballots cast, some 1,974 (68.21 percent) voted in favor.

“We’re very happy they passed it,” said Sandra Kloeppel, owner of B&B Liquor in Kingfisher.

Kloeppel said prior to the election that she wasn’t committing to opening on Sundays should the measure pass.

“We just want to have that option,” she said, noting that grocery and convenience stores who do stock wine and high-point beer are allowed to sell on that day.

“We thought it was a great turnout,” Kloeppel added. “We’re thankful for everyone who took the time to vote.”

The other question was regarding liquor by the drink, which would allow restaurants and bars to serve on Sundays.

Voters cast 2,893 ballots for that measure and 2,007 (69.37 percent) said “yes.”

The inability for those establishments to sell on Sundays was a byproduct of Oklahoma voters passing State Question 792 in November 2016. That passage updated state liquor laws, but had the unintended consequences in some counties, including Kingfisher County, that still had limited bans on liquor by the drink on the books.

When low-point beer was phased out in Oklahoma in 2018 due to that election, everything that beer companies provided was deemed liquor due to its alcohol content.

That beer fell under the county ban, leaving bars, restaurants and golf courses, with an inability to offer what is now referred to as liquor by the drink.

The Kingfisher Golf Course was down $8,000 in sales the first six months, but received some relief in April 2019 when Gov. Kevin Stitt signed Senate Bill 728 that had an emergency clause that went into effect immediately. It gave the likes of golf courses the right to sell alcoholic beverages to take onto the course.

But they couldn’t be consumed inside the clubhouse.

That will change on March 22.

Both new laws will go into effect March 17, meaning the next Sunday is the first in which merchants - and customers - can take advantage.

“It will be great for everyone in the county,” Wilson said. “Businesses can be open and sell what they want to sell.”

Restaurants and bars received no relief prior to the election.

In fact, STACK Grill in Kingfisher began closing on Sundays after SQ 792 went into effect.

Scott Osborn, the restaurant’s manager, said the reason was directly tied to the inability to offer liquor on Sundays.

The prospects that lie ahead have him offering some hints.

“We are excited about the results of the election and will be making some very exciting changes in the near future,” Osborn said.

The Shed Grill & Bar, owned by Brent and Steph Snider, kept its doors open on Sundays but said the law drove away some customers and affected their staffing.

“Now we can be with the trend of restaurants in Oklahoma City or other places in the state,” Steph Snider said. “Now the option is here and people who want to have a drink don’t have to go spend their tax dollars somewhere else.”

Snider recognized there is a contingent of voters who were against the county question’s passage, but said she’d like to allay any big fears.

“This doesn’t mean we’re going to have a ton of people in here drinking on Sundays,” she said. “This just means they have the option and that’s all we wanted to provide our customers.”