TULSA -- With the changing alcohol laws comes different processes to stock the shelves for store owners.
On October 1, chilled high point beer and wine will be sold in grocery stores and convenience stores. Liquor stores will also be able to chill their beer, open earlier and close later.
Chad Acklin, who owns Grand Vin Bottle Shop in Utica Square, said as part of the new law, their ordering process
Used to, Acklin said there were two distributors who sold them every product and would deliver daily.
Then, the liquor law changed.
"Now it's an Easter egg hunt," Acklin said. "We have to go find where each individual is going to be distributed from."
So far, Acklin is working with 12 representatives and he is still knee deep in trying to find the 400 wines in his store.
With each distributor comes a different delivery schedule.
"One distributor will deliver once a week and another will deliver twice a week," Acklin said. "We didn't get any say in that."
The ABLE Commission said they did not get a say either. The change was part of the legislation that passed and is based off the model other states use.
They said some alcohol manufacturers like this way more. A representative with ABLE said the manufacturers say they have more control over their products.
Acklin said he will not be able to keep their shelves stocked like he used to if he is not able to get daily deliveries.
"We used to be able to order every day," Acklin said. "I sell a case. I replenish it the next day. Sell a case, replenish it. When you're a boutique 700 square foot wine store it becomes problematic in being able to purchase multiple cases for each one of those. That's a lot of cases to have to store."
The effect the changes could have on customer's pocketbook has yet to be seen.
"It does raise concerns that if a single distributor is the only place you can get a product from, they have control of that price," Acklin said.
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