Just FYI...all package stores in Texas will be closed Christmas Day (its a Sunday). Also, because Christmas falls on a Sunday, all Package stores must be closed on Monday the 26th also.

This holds true for New Years also. Closed Jan. 1st and 2nd. I'd imagine most will be open regular hours Christmas/New Years Eve...ours will.

Plan accordingly.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

Why do they call them "package stores?"

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liquor stores are also technically known as “package stores” because purchased liquor must be packaged in a sealed container or bag when it is taken from the store

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So would the place I buy my pornography be considered a "package store" too?

yes. and they also sell "packages" if you so desire.

I have wondered this myself. I mean, most things that you buy from retail stores are put inside packages or bags.

Thanks for the post. I did not realize you guys had to be closed the following day. Good to know!

FYI- Packaging is not just something they do, it is required by law. That is you are not allowed to walk out without the alcohol in a bag. You can always carry out your porn if you so desire however not sure how that would be helpful.

i think porn has to be covered too... I wouldn't know, honestly.

but regular retail stores don't HAVE to put it in a bag (if I'm buying one or two things I don't usually bother with a bag).

I THINK it's the same rule why when we leave O'Bannon's with our beer tour mugs you have to have it in a paper bag. Not positive.

Why when I buy a 6 pack of beer from the corner store, do they have to put it in a plastic bag? Same idea as the liquor stores? I noticed this more when I was working in D/FW area.

WhiskeyCharlie: you may be able to answer this for me. Why does Texas have so many antiquated liquor laws inhibiting sales?

JB - I believe it is because the alcohol content. Beer is a lower content & therefore doesn't need to be in a bag. Liquor just needs to be concealed. So if you put it in your pocket, you can leave sans bag.

rsa - baptists.

A lot of States have relic laws left over from Prohibition. Be glad our state is less restrictive than some. Some States don't even allow private ownership of their liquor stores.

I'm ready for the complete repeal of these ridiculous 'Blue laws'.

openthetaps.org is leading the way in repealing some of those ridiculous laws. Mostly in regards to brewpubs and craft breweries, but you gotta start somewhere.

http://brewednotbattered.wordpress.com/

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For those unaware, Authentic Beverage, joined by co-plaintiffs Jester King Craft Brewery, LLC and Zax, LLC, filed suit against the TABC and its commissioners (in their official capacity) over a number of issues. You can read what Jester King had to say about the suit and the actual filings by the plaintiffs and the defendants.

For those unaware and who don’t want to go through the rigor of reading the entire suit, I’ll summarize the main points that were argued this morning.

Brewers’ first amendment rights are violated by the state’s prohibition on breweries from “advertising” where their products can be found, whereas an “advertisement” has been defined as any communication be it traditional advertising, a list on the company’s website, or even word-of-mouth.
Brewers’ first amendment rights are violated by the state’s prohibition on breweries from listing the alcohol content of their products in any “advertisement”, whereas an “advertisement” has been defined as any communication be it traditional advertising, a list on the company’s website, or even word-of-mouth. A brewer can, but is not required to, list alcohol content of products on a label, but cannot do so in advertising.
Brewers’ first amendment rights are violated by the state’s definition of “beer” as a malt beverage containing 4% or less alcohol by weight and “ale” as a malt beverage containing over 4% alcohol by weight. In industry parlance, the terms “beer” and “ale” have nothing to do with alcohol content (and in fact an ale is a beer while a beer is not necessarily an ale, by industry terminology). The suit contends the state compels producers of beer to make false statements to consumers in order to adhere to its definitions of “beer” and “ale” (since if a producer makes a lager that is over 4% ABW, they are required to call it an ale even though it is not, and if they make an ale under 4% ABW they are not able to call it an ale although it really is).
Brewers’ have their 14th amendment rights violated by virtue of the states make brewers chose between being a brewpub (which can only sell its products directly to the consumer on its premise) and a production brewery (which can only sell its products to distributors for resale) while not applying the same restrictions to wineries, which are allowed to do both.

There was another argument made as to the number of permits a foreign brewery is forced to obtain, but I won’t go into that as it constituted the least amount of time and has the least direct impact to Texas brewers.

On the 1st Amendment Issues, Judge Sparks was especially harsh on the TABC’s counsel (note, the state’s Attorney General Office acted as counsel, not TABC lawyers), which failed to provide a rational basis for the law. It is important to note that the courts have found the government can restrict free speech where they have a governmental interest to do so, but the defense failed to provide a rational basis. One exchange went like this:

Defense: I can’t site you to any specific evidence [of a rational basis]…

Judge Sparks: Because there isn’t any!

In the end, the State seemed to center their defense around the circular argument that (I”m paraphrasing) “The rational basis for the law is that they are the laws.” As you might imagine, this didn’t impress Judge Sparks very much, who at one point rhetorically asked the defense “you are aware that the legislature can pass unconstitutional laws, right?”

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http://offthekuff.com/wp/?p=37364

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Texans won’t be buying liquor on Sunday and the state’s 29 brewpubs won’t be competing with their out-of-state rivals on local grocery shelves.

And Texas breweries or liquor distillers still can’t sell a 12-pack of beer or a souvenir bottle of bourbon to tourists, as the Legislature has killed all bills related to changes in state laws on beer and liquor retailing.

“We got railroaded,” said Dan Garrison with Garrison Brothers Distillery, a Hill Country distiller who wanted the ability to sell a souvenir bottle of his bourbon to tour groups.

Garrison’s comment could sum up the frustration of the smallest players in the state’s beer and liquor industry that is controlled by giants.

Rep. Mike Hamilton, R-Mauriceville, chairs the House Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures, where most of the alcohol-related bills died this session.

He said it’s difficult to change decades-old laws without affecting someone’s financial interest.

Translation: It’s difficult to give small brewers and distillers an even break because doing so might put a tiny dent in the massive, oligarchic profits of the big distributors.

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On the 1st Amendment Issues, Judge Sparks was especially harsh on the TABC’s counsel (note, the state’s Attorney General Office acted as counsel, not TABC lawyers), which failed to provide a rational basis for the law.

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The TABC cannot provide a rational basis for most Blue Laws.

I gave up any hope for reason re our state's liquor laws when our imbecilic legislature banned consumers from dealing with out of state retailers...a bow to our state's Mafia-like liquor distributors.

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I gave up any hope for reason re our state's liquor laws when our imbecilic legislature banned consumers from dealing with out of state retailers...a bow to our state's Mafia-like liquor distributors.

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Texas is now one of the states allowing beer and wine to be mailed to private residences. Has been for a while. Restrictions on micro breweries weren't lifted last session, but there's a groundswell of support and some brewers who are legislators, IIRC.

From breweries and wineries, NOT from retailers. May seem a trivial difference but it's not; the Texas consumer is totally cut off from the many discount and auction sites out there. The legislature opened the window to this about 5-6 years ago, then slammed it shut.

Texas does have some antiquated laws but I imagine its worse in other places. Definitely better in some places also. Anywho, bump to top now that we are nearing the last few days to shop for Christmas.