Cheers! Heights Residents Vote Away Dry Zone, Private Memberships

HOUSTON, TX — Bar and restaurant owners in Houston Heights raised their glasses to a ginormous win in Tuesday night's local option election. Now club owners don't have to "sign up members" so they can drink alcoholic beverages. It also waives other costly measures like setting up operational nonprofits, going through expensive distributors and picking up the booze in-person at a distribution location.

The so-called dry zone had been in place since 1912, but 61 percent of the 2,439 total voters chose to eliminate the century-old provision. Many club owners in The Heights rallied behind the local option vote.

The affected area includes Heights and Greater Heights, including areas along Yale Street and Heights Blvd. to I-10 and a 12-block swath up north just past 20th Street almost to the 610 North Loop.

last year voters approved lifting a ban on stores from selling beer and wine, which led to H-E-B breaking ground last month on a future store in The Heights.

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