OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The number of liquor stores in Oklahoma continues to rise despite recent efforts to change state law and allow grocery stores to sell wine.
According to the Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission, there are now 666 liquor stores operating in Oklahoma. That's the highest total since the 1980s.
The Oklahoman reports that liquor stores and wineries have been increasing in numbers for much of the past decade.
In 2001, there were 12 wineries and 538 liquor stores in Oklahoma. Wineries now total 62, and there are 128 more liquor stores in operation today than there were 11 years ago.
There were 605 liquor stores in 1991 before a decade's worth of declines dropped that number to 538.
Twenty years ago, there were only two wineries.