What the new alcohol sale law in Belton means for local businesses

BELTON, Texas (KWTX) - For years the city of Belton has been wet and dry when it comes to alcohol sales, meaning that businesses could only legally sell alcohol within certain limits.

However, on May 4th voters passed a new law that makes alcohol and spirit sales legal citywide, both in restaurants and stores.

Mayor of Belton, David Leigh, explained that “the issue was depending on where your property had come in, at what time, it might have been under different alcohol laws and so this one stabilized that law and made it the same for everyone”.

According to the local business owners that pushed for this, the old laws and boundaries put a lot of constraints on them and even drove away new businesses.

Now, every business in Belton that sells alcohol follows the same law and also has looser restrictions on alcohol sales.

“I think that people, mainly small businesses, are excited for less regulation… less counting that we have to do when it comes to sales,” shared Mayor Leigh.

Prior to this new law, businesses like the Nolan Creek Brewery had to have 40% food sales for 60% beer or wine sales.

Now their co-owner, Jackie Riggs Brockway, says they have more freedom with what they can sell, which will help her brewery thrive.

“We won’t necessarily have to have that 40% of food sales,” said Brockway, “also we’ll be able to sell wine that has a little bit more ABV, so going up to 17% whereas we were at like the 13% range”.

This new law also opens up the door for new businesses interested in coming to Belton.

According to Andrea Shaw, co-owner of Shaw Industries, “we’ve already had businesses reaching out to the city. People are ready to come, this town is going to explode and we’re really thankful for that”.

Mayor Leigh says the city still has to establish land regulations before they’re ready to welcome new businesses, which could take a few months, but that they’re excited for the future.

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