People under 21 may soon have to be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or spouse to enter a liquor store in Memphis, according to an ordinance passed by the Memphis City Council in this morning’s public safety committee.
Currently, underage people are allowed inside liquor stores but are not allowed to make purchases. Several local liquor stores owners are pushing for the bill, including Josh Hammond of Buster’s Liquors and Wines.
Hammond told the council that his store will not sell alcohol to legal age customers who come into the store with their underage friends.
“Then they become unruly if they’re denied the sale,” Hammond said. “All we can do is kick them out, but we would like to work with law enforcement to deal with these people. This ordinance would give retailers more teeth.”
