I'm finally legal! Well...sort of...

Westerville kicks 131 years of sobriety to the curb. Otterbein students rejoice.

Folks toast lifting of alcohol ban after 131 years
WESTERVILLE, Ohio (AP) -- The central Ohio city of Westerville, once known as the "dry capital of the world," is dry no more. A pizza parlor on Thursday became the first establishment in Westerville's uptown business district to legally serve a beer since 1875.
"Here's to a new tradition in Westerville," local jeweler Bill Morgan said as he raised his plastic cup of Budweiser at Michael's Pizza.
Westerville's temperance history dates back 131 years, when the town's saloon was blown up during what's known as the "Whiskey Wars." The Anti-Saloon League moved its headquarters to Westerville in 1909, and the city became known as the "dry capital of the world."
Business and city leaders pushed for the serving of alcohol in uptown establishments as a way to compete with restaurants and bars at two new retail developments near the Columbus suburb.
Voters on November 8 approved licenses for beer and wine to be sold at Michael's Pizza and Pasquale's Pizza & Pasta, whose owner plans to start serving libations February 1.
The night of the election, Michael's Pizza owner Michael Evans said he would auction off the first beer, with the proceeds going to a local ministry. Morgan, whose family has lived in Westerville for four generations, topped five other bidders to win the beer for $150.
"My dad said it would never happen," Morgan, 51, said as he prepared to drink the beer.
Voters in a portion of Westerville approved licenses to sell alcohol in 1998, but uptown had remained dry.
They are also opening an Old Bag of Nails Irish Pub in uptown. It will be nice to be able to have a few beers and not worry about driving miles to get back home anymore.

Comments

  1. Rex Kramer, Danger Seeker8:56 PM, January 13, 2006

    Sigh. Another city for Ted Kennedy to vomit in.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous8:48 PM, January 14, 2006

    Couldn't they have toasted with something more auspicious than a Budweiser? Oh well, after 130 years I guess they should get a break. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Drew Dallons10:49 AM, January 15, 2006

    True, I don't think I would pay $1.50 for a Budweiser, much less $150.00.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tina6:26 PM, January 16, 2006

    Before we had our 3yr old kiddo, my Hubby and I visited my college roommate in Middletown, and on the several hrs drive back to the Akron/Canton area, we stopped at a restaurant in Westerville. We had no idea that you couldn't order a beer (and we are both lifelong Ohio natives) so when the stunned waitress announced that I could not get a beer with my burger in that restaurant or any in town for that matter, we promptly folded up our menus and said buh-bye.
    I wonder how many other people have done the same and that is exactly why the town finally decided to cave in... the wallet always wins over any so-called morals.

    ReplyDelete

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