Dry counties....what exactly are the rules? (Knoxville, Morristown: sales, to buy) - Tennessee (TN) - City-Data Forum

hoosier07 · 04-03-2007, 06:04 AM

Hi....I only drink wine or a beer when we have friends over for dinner or in a business dinner....and of course I know TN is famous for its dry counties. How exactly does it work ? This is the least of my worries and would not jeopardize any moving thoughts but I would like to know more on this subject. Can you buy wine for example in a supermarket ? Can you order in a restaurant bar ? What about Knox Co. rules ? Thanks. I hope I don't start a controversy here.

mbmouse · 04-03-2007, 06:23 AM

Knoxville is not dry, Morristown is. (I say this because I know you are looking at both places) In a "dry" county.....well, it varies LOL!!! Most of them you can NOT get a drink in a restaurant, but sometimes you can get a beer only. There might be one package store in the county where you can buy wine and liquor, there might be 3 or more. You can buy beer in most convince stores in dry counties. You just have to drink it at home. In these dry counties if you are seen with a beer or drink outside your home, that is considered "public intoxication" (Sometimes this in enforced, sometimes not) .
Wine is not sold in any grocery store in East TN, you have to go to a package store.
So to answer your questions, there really aren't any "set" rules about this issues.
I know, strange, but one of those things that you just say "Welcome to TN" about hahhahahahhaha.

alleycat · 04-03-2007, 06:27 AM

Each county sets its own rules. Most counties, whether large or small, allow beer sales.

Liquor sales vary a lot. Most of the larger counties allow liquor sales, many of the smaller ones do not.

You cannot buy wine in a supermarket.

I don't know the rules in Knox County offhand. I'm sure someone will be along to explain what the law is there. I'm guessing that Knox allows sales of liquor in both restaurants and also in liquor stores.

[Edited to add: I was typing my reply while mbmouse was posting.]

hiknapster · 04-03-2007, 06:34 AM

And I think that the liquor stores are closed on Sundays, and possibly holidays, too. And the two liquor stores that I have been in did not sell beer, which I thought was a bit strange. Ah, well.

But I'm pretty sure you can buy beer in convenience and supermarkets on Sundays.

Oh, this is all referring to Knox County.

hoosier07 · 04-03-2007, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbmouse

Knoxville is not dry, Morristown is. (I say this because I know you are looking at both places) In a "dry" county.....well, it varies LOL!!! Most of them you can NOT get a drink in a restaurant, but sometimes you can get a beer only. There might be one package store in the county where you can buy wine and liquor, there might be 3 or more. You can buy beer in most convince stores in dry counties. You just have to drink it at home. In these dry counties if you are seen with a beer or drink outside your home, that is considered "public intoxication" (Sometimes this in enforced, sometimes not) .
Wine is not sold in any grocery store in East TN, you have to go to a package store.
So to answer your questions, there really aren't any "set" rules about this issues.
I know, strange, but one of those things that you just say "Welcome to TN" about hahhahahahhaha.

Thanks everybody and mbmouse....yes I'm still considering both East Knox County and Morristown.....here in Indiana (at least Indianapolis area) all liquor stores are closed on Sundays and you can not buy liquor, beer or wine on Sundays, doesn't matter if it is on supermarkets or convenience stores. The supermarkets close the aisle of liquor sales.....he...he...he. You end up getting used to it....

JMT · 04-03-2007, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoosier07

Hi....I only drink wine or a beer when we have friends over for dinner or in a business dinner....and of course I know TN is famous for its dry counties. How exactly does it work ? This is the least of my worries and would not jeopardize any moving thoughts but I would like to know more on this subject. Can you buy wine for example in a supermarket ? Can you order in a restaurant bar ? What about Knox Co. rules ? Thanks. I hope I don't start a controversy here.

In Tennessee, towns can allow liquor by the drink even if they're located in dry counties. Morristown is one of those; you can go to Applebee's or Ruby Tuesday and drink liquor, but you cannot by liquor by the bottle in stores in Morristown or anywhere else in Hamblen County.

Knox County is "wet" in that it allows liquor sales in packages stores. Tennessee does not allow grocery stores or convenience stores to sell liquor.

You can go to Lynchburg to the Jack Daniels distillery, but you can't actually buy it there; Moore County is dry. How funny is that?

anniesells · 04-03-2007, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoosier07

I know TN is famous for its dry counties. How exactly does it work ? This is the least of my worries and would not jeopardize any moving thoughts but I would like to know more on this subject. Can you buy wine for example in a supermarket ? Can you order in a restaurant bar ?

A Dry county is one where you cannot purchase alcohol at all. If you want alcohol, you have to go to a county where it is available (and take it home). I have been to larger cities where you can purchase beer/wine/liquor in the grocery store, which I think is convenient. However, in E. Tn, you have to go to a Liquor store to purchase wines and liquor. Only beer is sold in the Grocery store, and on Sundays you cannot purchase beer until after 12pm.

Pearlbob · 04-03-2007, 08:10 AM

I was going to say, a dry county means no alcohol/beer period. I grew up in a dry county; we had to drive to the county line to purchase anything. And nothing was sold on Sundays at the county line stores.

In dry counties, establishments can petition to buy a liquor license, and become a private club that can sell alcohol. But unless I'm mistaken, dry county means just that....it's dry.

Milo Bloom · 04-03-2007, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMT

Knox County is "wet" in that it allows liquor sales in packages stores. Tennessee does not allow grocery stores or convenience stores to sell liquor.

They also do not allow beer sales in liquor/wine stores, unless it's the new high gravity types. Many stores get around this by having an in-store partition and two registers, but most just stay away from beer altogether.

Pearlbob · 04-03-2007, 09:16 AM

It's my understanding that it all depends on the alcohol percentage in the drink. They do sell some beer in liquor stores, beer that is high in alcohol volume or whatnot. (ie..not Miller Lite!) But overall, beer is sold in gas stations, liquor is sold in liquor stores. Nothing in grocery stores. No stores are open on Sundays. You can buy liquor/beer in restaurants on Sundays, after 12 noon. At least that's how it is in memphis; I assume those are state laws. It's quite a headache on days like Superbowl Sunday when you forget that nothing is open!