Man, Texas Has Some Weird Laws for Buying Liquor

(Tyler, Texas) - Texas, and especially East Texas, has a complicated history with alcohol. For the longest time, many counties were "dry", meaning you couldn't got to a store in that county to buy a 6-pack or a bottle whiskey. Some counties will only sell beer and wine in stores but not liquor.

Yeah, it's very weird and can be a bit confusing. In Longview, certain precincts in the city can sell liquor while others can't. What? Yeah, let's go over the strange alcohol sales in Texas and why it's harder than it needs to be.

Liquor Laws in Texas

Buying alcohol in Texas can be a bit of pain sometimes. I remember the days when Coffee City or Big Sandy or Kilgore were the closest places to drive to get any kind of alcohol if you lived in Smith County. I remember working at RaceTrac in Lindale in the late 90s and getting cussed out by people because Smith County was "dry."

The thing is, these laws were not put in place by an individual business, these laws were put in place by the Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission (TABC). While Texas is known to have a rebellious reputation, the laws around alcohol, specifically liquor, are not so rebellious.

READ MORE: It's Illegal and Dangerous to Take Pictures Using the Railroad in Texas

Buying Beer or Liquor at a Texas Restuarant

Texas does have general laws around the sell of alcohol in a bar or restaurant or from a store to consume at home. Thing is, individual cities can pass their own ordinances in regards to alcohol sales as long as they are within the state's laws.

For instance, in Tyler, Sunday through Friday, bars and restaurants can serve alcohol until midnight. On Saturday, that time is extended to 1 a.m. But if you go to Longview, bars and restaurants can serve until 2 a.m. no matter the night. So weird.

History of Buying Alcohol in Tyler, Texas

It wasn't until the early 2010s that you could buy beer or wine from a store within Smith County. Before that, you had to drive across county lines to do so. Since that time, Smith county cities like Troup, Arp and Winona voted to sell liquor in stores.

You would think as big as Tyler is, they would approve the sale of liquor within the city limits. Just like the beer and wine vote, someone will have to come along to get liquor sales throughout Smith County to put the issue on a ballot.

Strange, and Sometimes Confusing, Liquor Laws in Texas

Texas alcohol laws are some of the strictest in the country. You can't sell liquor on Sundays. You can only buy it from a store between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. There are certain holidays that liquor cannot be sold on.

Cities that can't sell liquor for home consumption allow it for sale in bars and restaurants. It's all strange and confusing sometimes.

READ MORE: The Weird Law in Texas That Won't Let you Bring a Citrus Plant Across State Lines