ELLISVILLE — George’s Discount Beer & Tobacco in Ellisville made history Monday as the first business to sale beer within the city limits.

The Budweiser truck form Southern Beverage Company in Laurel was at the store bright and early Monday to make sure the beverage was available for customers when the store opened its doors at 7 a.m.

Several residents were on hand for the historic event, but to his delight, Ellisville resident and property owner Gordon Wright had the distinction of being the first to purchase beer in the city. Wright, 62, along with Carson Graham, worked for about a year to gain enough local support for beer sales. They presented a petition to the Board of Aldermen earlier this year requesting a vote on the issue.

On October 6th, Ellisville residents repealed the city’s alcohol ban with a vote of 367 to 313. Only 680 of the city’s 2,400 registered voters participated in the special election.

The Board of Aldermen adopted an ordinance on Nov. 11 that allows businesses to sale beer and light wine with a five percent alcohol content by weight limit. Other guidelines in the ordinance are the applicant must be over 21 years of age, a person of good moral character and a citizen of the United States and the State of Mississippi; there must be 300-foot barrier between businesses selling beer, and churches and schools; all displays must be at least 21 feet from the front door of the business; sales are permitted on Sundays between 1 p.m. and midnight, with regular hours for sales between 7 a.m. and midnight; and restaurants allowed to sell beer between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m.

“We’re excited about being the first to sale beer in Ellisville,” said Paula McCloud, George’s District Manager. “This is something our owner, Mr. George (Harrison) worked hard for before.

“He’s deceased now, but I am sure he is smiling down on us right now.”

Harrison’s widow, Donna, called the day a “dream come true.”

“He had been working to get beer in Ellisville for years,” she said. “There were some hold ups because some of the people he had gotten to sign a petition were not registered voters.”

Harrison said she is glad residents finally had an opportunity to vote for beer sales. “It’s a shame that the people in Ellisville had to drive all the way to Laurel to buy beer,” she said. “They are going to buy beer anyway and perhaps get caught (by law enforcement officers) coming back to Ellisville with it in their cars.

“Why not sale it to them here in Ellisville? We can keep those tax dollars here in this city.”

George’s has been in Ellisville 10 years, but has operated a store in Laurel for about 17 years. McCloud said the Ellisville store will open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and will be closed on Sunday.

The store will sale assorted beer products from Miller and Budweiser, as well as a number of imported beers.

But while George’s is the first business to sale beer in Ellisville, other business will soon follow. City Clerk Kathy Brewer said other business that have applied for licenses to sale the beverage are Fast Tract and Corner Market Grocery Store. She said Greer’s Grocery Store has inquired, but has not yet applied for a license.

“I’m just glad to have beer and light wine available here so we can get the tax revenues here,” said Wright. “It’s not like we are encouraging people to purchase or drink beer. They have been doing it all along, but purchasing it from other cities.”

Wright said he has picked up a number of beer cans and bottles from his property over the years. He’s certain other property owners have done the same thing.

“The main issue here is that people won’t have to travel elsewhere to buy beer,” he added. “I’m just glad it’s here for me to purchase. It’s time for it.”

Ellisville resident Robert Bland, 57, agrees. “To be honest, I never thought I would live to see this day,” he said. “I never thought the citizens of Ellisville would ever vote for it.

“Ellisville’s been here for over 300 years and we have been living in the old days,” he said. “Alcohol is legal in the United States, but we haven’t been able to purchase it in Ellisville.

“I’m thankful we can purchase beer now, but I just can’t understand what took so long. Opposing beer sales just didn’t make any sense to me at all.”

Bland was the third person to purchase beer Monday. The second was George’s District Manager Paula McCloud.

“I want to be a part of this historic day,” he said. “I still don’t believe it.”

But Bland will have evidence that the day actually happened. He documented the day’s happenings recording it on his video camcorder.

“What a great day,” he said.