First alcohol license approved

At Monday night’s meeting, the Russellville City Council voted to approve the first alcohol licenses for the city.

The licenses were approved for Sibley Oil Company’s Legacy Chevron on U.S. 43 South and will allow the business to sell retail table wine (off premise) and retail beer (off premise).

According to city officials, notice of the license approval will be sent to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board who will then have to issue their own licenses to Sibley Oil Company before the alcohol will be allowed to be sold.

Officials were unsure of exactly how long the process would take for the ABC Board to approve the licenses and for Legacy Chevron to begin selling alcohol.

Wholesale beer licenses were also approved for Shoals Distributing, Inc. and Supreme Beverage Company, which will allow these two companies to supply wholesale beer to any businesses that acquire an alcoholic beverage license in the city.

According to the ordinance, Sibley Oil Company will be required to pay a $75 annual city license fee to sell the retail table wine and a $50 annual city license fee to sell the retail beer.

Both Shoals Distributing, Inc. and Supreme Beverage Company will pay $275 annual city license fees to distribute wholesale beer in Russellville.

These fees are significantly smaller than the $5,000 annual city license fee required of those businesses wishing to sell liquor products such as tequila, vodka or whiskey.

The city’s ordinance that was passed in January established a wide range of fees depending on the type of beverages sold and whether or not they are to be consumed on-site or off the premises of the business.

Lounges and restaurants are required to pay a significantly higher license fee than those selling beer and table wine. Some types of businesses are also required to pay percentages based on the total revenue of receipts taken in.

“What makes towns successful are locally owned-businesses,” Jim Sibley, president of Sibley Oil Company, said. “We’re trying to change with the times and we’re hoping we’ll be able to be successful with this new aspect of the business because the success of local businesses is what can make or break a town.”