Melissa Parrish works behind the bar at the new Root Kitchen and Wine Bar which replaced the former Elemental Restaurant located at 2 Northshore in the Whole Foods shopping complex.Grocery stores across Hamilton County will be allowed to sell wine for the first time.
Voters in Chattanooga, Collegedale, East Ridge, Lakesite Red Bank and Signal Mountain approved the ballot measure opening the door for wine in grocery stores. Currently, only retail liquor stores can sell wine.
The win for grocers and consumers won't be effective immediately. Current law calls for implementation in mid-2016, though legislators have expressed interest in moving that date up.