Beer Is Here

Ben Mitchell Enterprises Inc. received a faxed copy of its’ permit for alcohol sales on June 18, and the first beer sales in Van Zandt County took place the next morning.

"We placed our order on Thursday (18th), and the trucks were here at 8 a.m.," said owner Benny Mitchell.

Three distributors showed up with more than 1,300 cases of beer on Friday morning. Mitchell described sales at Ben’s Mobil on 4th St. as ‘moderate’, but patrons at Mitchell’s Oil on Highway 80 described the store as a ‘madhouse’.

"Somebody said the wait in line was 15 minutes," said Maston Mitchell. "I think they were exaggerating, but there was definitely a line and a wait at the register."

The 24 Market also joined in with alcohol sales, taking its first deliveries and making its first sale on Tuesday afternoon.

"Sales have been steady so far, but it looks like we have increasing interest daily," store owner Jerry Hill said. "That is where we’re at right now and we have been stocking (beer) the last few days."

Hill said his store does plan to carry a small selection of popular wines very soon.

Being the only round-the-clock open store in Wills Point, 24 Market has the extra concern of cutting off beer and wine sales at the times prescribed by state law.

Alcohol can be sold Monday through Friday from 7 a.m.-midnight, Saturday from 7 a.m.-1 a.m. (Sunday) and on Sunday from noon to midnight,

"That is going to be a policing situation for our clerks, just like checking age IDs," Hill said.

He added that the store’s cash register system will provide some extra help — it will not ring up alcoholic beverage sales after hours.

"I want to put less pressure