Red White and Food campaign manager Susie Alcorn says the group is “cautiously optimistic that wine in retail food stores will be approved in all 78 eligible municipalities” in Tennessee, based on partial reported results.
At least one municipality in the state—McKenzie—has officially passed the referendum and, based on unconfirmed reports, it appears the measure also has passed in Smyrna, Chattanooga and Cleveland. In these and other municipalities where approved, retail food stores will be able to sell wine beginning July 1, 2016.
Among the larger municipalities where results are still pending: Metropolitan Nashville Davidson County, Murfreesboro, the city of Memphis, Germantown, Jackson, Knoxville and unincorporated Knox County, and the Tri-Cities, including Bristol, Johnson City and Kingsport
“We thank all of the voters across Tennessee who overwhelmingly voted in support of wine in retail food stores,” Alcorn said in a statement on Red White And Food’s Facebook page this morning.
Gov. Bill Haslam signed the wine in retail food stores bill into law on March 20, paving the way for the Nov. 4 referendum in qualifying municipalities. It’s been a years-long effort, and one that has involved the support of numerous retailers—including Bi-Lo, Food City, Food Lion, Kroger, Publix, Superlo and Walmart.
