North Texas Stores Open up for Beer, Wine

IRVING, Texas -- Grocery and convenience stores here are prepping their stores to stock the newest products available to them -- beer and wine.

Residents here -- which was North Texas' largest dry suburb -- approved the sale of beer and wine in the city in November, following the failure of two previous attempts in 2004 and 2006. The measure passed this time, but with a slim margin -- it passed by 776 votes, less than 1 percent of ballots cast, according to a report by The Dallas Morning News.

This week, three Kroger stores became the first supermarkets to offer beer and wine.

"Many of our customers have wanted the convenience of buying beer and wine in a supermarket in Irving for a number of years," Gary Huddleston, a Kroger director of consumer affairs, told the paper.

As of yesterday, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission issued permits for beer and wine sales to a dozen Irving retailers. In addition, city staffers already approved applications for more than 80 other retail outlets that must now seek approval from the state agency, the report stated.
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