Board rejects proposal to allow adult beverages in businesses

By Randy Bell

Customers in Clinton won’t be allowed to sip a wine cooler while having their nails done or enjoy a beer at the barber shop. At least, not legally. The Board of Aldermen voted 5-2 at its meeting January 17 to defeat the proposal championed by Ward 6 Alderman James Lott, which would have allowed nail salons, hair salons, barbers and spas to serve as many as two of those alcoholic drinks to customers.

“I think it’s imperative of us to find creative ways to keep our citizens in Clinton, to keep their dollars being spent in Clinton and provide new, innovative things for our citizens,” Lott told fellow Board members before the vote, noting that some businesses in other cities offer their customers drinks. He said he came up with the idea after being served a Tequila Sunrise at a nail salon in Dallas while he and his daughter got pedicures.

Lott’s proposal for Clinton, which he originally brought up last summer would not have permitted cocktails—only wine coolers and beer, which the City has the authority to regulate.
Ward 2 Alderman Jim Martin said while he finds it “refreshing” to explore new ideas, he’s concerned that allowing those businesses to serve drinks would open the door for other requests.

“[There’s] no telling who else would say that’s a good idea, and then you’ve got sales of beer and light wine by the drink all over town in businesses that aren’t really set up and organized to do something like that.”

Martin told the Board, “That’s not something we want to get into.”

He said he and Lott had cordial conversations about the proposal, but they “agreed to disagree.”