An orange maple old fashioned Halloween cocktail is seen with its ingredients Friday, Oct. 24, 2014, at Urban Stack Restaurant in Chattanooga.Residents of Chattooga County, Ga., will continue to have to travel if they want to have a mixed drink with dinner.
Though official results weren't available as of press time, local outlets reported that a measure to allow restaurants to apply for a license to sell liquor by the glass was voted down on Tuesday by voters. Restaurants already are allowed to sell wine and beer.
Chattooga County is divided. The small city of Summerville voted in favor of the sale of liquor by the drink in 2013, but the neighboring town of Lyerly voted against it in 2011.
Currently, two restaurants in the county have a license to sell beer and wine, according to a city official.
El Pueblito is one of those restaurants -- only serving beer for years, and hoping that Tuesday's vote would allow the establishment to sell liquor.
"We've been patiently waiting," said Rolanda Carranza, a manager at the Mexican restaurant. "Ever since we got our beer license we knew we also wanted to sell liquor."
El Pueblito is a chain restaurant and is able to sell liquor at several of its other locations. Carranza said being able to sell mixed drinks would have helped improve business.
"Some people from out of town and locals go elsewhere so that they can get liquor with their food," he said.
Carranza said the restaurant hasn't had any problems with customers since it began serving beer, and he is eager to apply for a liquor license and start selling alcoholic drinks as soon as possible. Whenever that is.
Former Summerville City Councilman Jimmy Bryant said he strongly opposes the sale of alcoholic drinks at restaurants in the county.
He believes that selling mixed drinks will encourage even more people to drink and drive.
"Just a drink or two can impair some people," Bryant, a former Baptist preacher, said.
Bryant said that many Christians in the community are against the measure, and some churches were advertising and encouraging people to vote in opposition.
"I hope there will be enough people to turn out and vote against it," he said on Tuesday afternoon.
Winters was not available for comment on Tuesday.
Contact staff writer Kendi Anderson at kendi.anderson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592.