Date: 12-31-2017
Hopkinsville liquor stores start home delivery
NEW STATE LAW ALLOWS IT
Two Hopkinsville liquor stores are taking advantage of a new state law that allows liquor to be delivered to homes.
This month, Dick’s Drive-In and Bar on Ninth Street as well as Discount Liquors on North Main Street announced on their respective Facebook pages that they can now deliver alcohol.
Based on the new law, each liquor store can designate a specific driver with the transporter’s license to deliver alcohol from their store.
Michael Cain, owner of Yellow Light Delivery Service, teamed up with Char and James Manning, owners of Dick’s Drive-In and Bar, to offer the service in Hopkinsville.
“We were the first ones to do it,” said Cain, who started delivering for Dick’s on Dec. 12. “It’s just now starting to get busy.”
Along with delivering food, Yellow Light Delivery Service will also deliver alcohol from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week, excluding Sunday. The cost is the price of the liquor, plus an $8 delivery fee. To order from Yellow Light, call 270-243-0200.
Char said they wanted to be the first local business to take advantage of the new law that went into effect in June.
“The Kentucky ABC legislation changed in June allowing delivery, and we knew it was just a matter of time for retailers to get it done,” she said.
Discount Liquors announced their partnership with 5 Star Transit on Dec. 15. According to their Facebook page, there is a minimum purchase of $10 using a credit or debit card and a minimum $5 delivery fee. To order, call 270-886-5050.
Across the state, liquor stores in Louisville and Lexington were the first to start to delivering as early as July. Hop2go in Lexington touts itself as the first direct-to-home alcohol delivery company, according to its website. They also deliver cigarettes and snacks.
Aside from the accessibility, there are still regulations in place to make sure minors aren’t on the receiving end. The purchaser must show ID and their credit/debit card upon delivery.
Char said it was important to them to make sure the service was feasible and safe. She thanked the ABC and state legislators for bringing Kentucky up to speed with a law that’s in place in Tennessee.
“We’ve really set the mark,” she said. “We’re so glad that (our store is) leading in this.”
To her, the possibilities are exciting: “How cool would it be, if you were going to propose, to have your champagne delivered while you’re watching planes take off?”
