Three Fayetteville Walmart stores applied for permits to sell retail beer back in August and last week, Fayetteville’s Target store responded by submitting its own retail beer application to the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control board.
ABC director Michael Langley confirmed today that Target had submitted an application to sell retail beer in its Fayetteville store along with applications for Target stores in Ft. Smith and Little Rock.
Jana O’Leary, a spokesperson for Target also confirmed the retail beer application in all three locations. O’Leary said that the application to sell beer in the Fayetteville store comes in response to requests from consumers, though it is expected that Walmart’s decision to apply for the permit last month also contributed to the decision.
Langley said that he doesn’t expect to make a decision on the Target or the Walmart applications for a few months. “December will probably be the earliest any action will be taken on it,” Langley said.
“The only objection I’ve received (on the Walmart application) is from (Arkansas) Senator Sue Madision, and she generally objects to all retail permits not issued to liquor stores.” Langley said.
Madison said that she was not aware of the Target retail beer application and that she would issue a letter opposing the permit.
“I want to make it clear that I am not opposed to someone having a beer or a glass of wine or even a cocktail,” Madison said. “My concern with this is that it’s another outlet for minors to buy alcohol. It just makes it harder on law enforcement to police it and ultimately, it’s our children who could be harmed by this.”
Langley said that Target must place an ad in the newspaper, as well as post a notice on the storefront for 30 days to allow for public comment and comment from elected officials. If Langley denies the permit, it can be appealed by the applicant and will then be heard by the ABC board.
“If I don’t receive anything, the general practice is to approve it if they’ve met all the other qualifications that they are supposed to meet with their application,” Langley said. “I would expect that somebody will object and it will get turned down in December and be heard in January or February by the board.”
LOL at “even a cocktail”. And lame of Madison to bring children into this.
So if someone complains and someone else approves does the complaint get cancelled out? Of course not… that would be too logical. Just in case it does, I’m ready to approve… now who do I voice my approval to?
I think we need to get two petitions going–one for, and one against. Most signatures wins.
When I was a minor, I was prevented from buying cough syrup at a Wal-Mart.
Do we really believe that the Big Box stores are going to let minors walk out with booze? They have better controls than any of the liquor stores.
I cook with lots more alcohol than I drink.
the art place between romance diamond and willy d’s also had one of these permits. ya’ll know what’s going in there?
Hey Chance. I noticed that. Not sure what’s going on down there.
Perhaps if kids were used to seeing it alongside food and other everyday, boring items they wouldn’t feel as drawn to it as a mysterious, sneaky thing.
I wish people would just get over it – as if minors are going to have any real problem getting someone to go buy it for them at a liquor store, with better selection and actual liquor. I’m pretty sure it would be a lot harder to obtain alcohol in an illegitimate way from walmart or target than a liquor store. Or course some people will say that this gives them the chance to steal it, but I’ve never been asked for ID to enter a liquor store, and it can be stolen there.
Yes, I can’t think of any good reason not to sell alcohol in grocery stores. Many other states do that and do they have huge problems with it? Now that we have convenience stores with beer what’s the big difference?
I heard a rumor that the same people that did willy d’s and FIX are doing a bar in the art place on dickson. But again it’s just a rumor.
what art place?
@burgerboy I believe the space Chance and Liz are talking about is at 230 W. Dickson in the 3 Sisters Building. It was most recently Carla Tyson Studios. We saw the notice for restaurant liquor there last week.
also appears that a new imbibing establishment is prepping to open on the Bakery Building alley (Wasabi)
Wow, ground floor real estate on Dickson still appears to be hopping along.
Its a shame the city doesn’t do something with the big surface lot across from WAC, like a parking garage in back and some storefronts.
In these economic times, I wouldn’t care if it was liquor being sold out of a day care center, we need the revenue! Sue M. is just way overboard with the morality propaganda. I think Langley even implies that Sue objects just to object. Point in fact isn’t Mac Doodles solely a liquor store? and yet she disapproved of them getting a license in Springdale as punishment for taking money from Arkansans across the state line all those years. Sounds like someone just isn’t happy unless they’re making someone else unhappy.
Times, I think they left out “not owned by her friends who have a monopoly in Springdale” from the end of this quote:
“The only objection I’ve received (on the Walmart application) is from (Arkansas) Senator Sue Madision, and she generally objects to all retail permits not issued to liquor stores.” Langley said.
@Burgerboy – I can’t speak for everyone else, but I’m nervous planning any structure in the WAC parking lot that doesn’t include new theaters for the Walton Arts Center itself. In a perfect world, I’d rather put the parking deck (and future light rail stop) across the street in the old Depot area.
Has anyone else noticed that Sue Madison has not opened her trap about the lottery??
The same argument could be made about MacaDoodles and the other Missouri establishments dragging Arkansas residents across the state line without paying AR taxes! Can you believe it!
Now that it is up and running, she is not trying to “punish” any establishment for selling a legal product in MO, and now offering it in AR.