Savannah Jerman
Editorial Intern

  In April, Ordinance #260250 was passed, however 10 days before the ordinance was to be enforced the Kansas City City Council gave permission to temporarily stop enforcing this ordinance for up to 60 days. 

This ordinance establishes the Retail Alcohol Impact Areas and this restricts the sales of half-pints, minis, airplane bottles of hard liquor with an alcohol content of 35% or more, as well as beer and malt beverages sold in a 40-ounce container or less.  Ordinance #260250 affects retail liquor sales along these corridors: Prospect Avenue, Central Business District, Blue Ridge Blvd. and Independence Avenue.

  “The Kansas City Council authorized the City Manager to modify enforcement of the ordinance over the next 60 days, including implementing a temporary stay of enforcement. The City maintains that its ordinance is lawful and fully intends to defend it. However, this pause in enforcement is intended to facilitate a transition to compliance for the plaintiffs and to allow all parties to resolve the dispute thoughtfully and effectively, without the pressure of rushed outcomes” said Jackson Overstreet, KCMO Public Information Officer. 

  Ten days before the ordinance was to be enforced (June 15 2026), and before it was pushed back another 60 days, I spoke to two employees at two businesses on Independence Avenue. From their responses it seemed there was no game plan on preparing for the ban regardless of the enforcement date push back.    

  I spoke to Redd H, a cashier at the Benton and Independence Avenue 7-Eleven, and in short there is no game plan as of June 15th. Since 7-Eleven is a franchise, this will be a unique case. Redd said they [7-Eleven employees] were waiting on the owner and the beer supplier to come up with a game plan, hinting that they may just sell six mini bottles together. 

  I also spoke to Chawrdy A. at Top Notch Liquor & C-Store (2119 Independence Avenue). He explained they [the business] were going to keep purchasing fast-selling items up until the ban, how the liquor distributors are not taking anything back, and how maybe other stores not within the ordinance may take the alcohol. 

  Both employees shared the same opinion. That banning select alcohol doesn’t seem like it will reduce crime and there isn’t much of a game plan on how to prepare. 

  “I feel like they’re just targeting, I don’t think it can control any of the crime. They should do city wide because there is worse crime somewhere else. I haven’t really had a police call for like the last two years here, even if there was a very,very,very minor issue like something outside [the parking lot]” said Chawrdy. 

“Me, personally, it is not the shots, it’s the drugs… You are making people drink more. Some people come to just get one shot, now you may have to buy six if that is what we are going to do”, said Redd H. 

  Chawrdy also expressed how not only will it affect business it will also affect the community. 

“A lot of people don’t have the money to buy a whole case or buy a fifth. So I mean it’s going to affect them too. Some people can’t afford to buy big items,” said Chawrdy. 

  For the time being, these select alcohol containers will still continue to be on the store shelf. For more in-depth information about this ordinance, refer back to our previous Northeast News article: https://northeastnews.net/pages/council-approves-single-package-mini-liquor-bottle-ban-for-independence-avenue-corridor/.