Oklahoma City Gun Range Gets Liquor License

Yes, you read that headline correctly; a gun range in Oklahoma City set to open this summer has been granted a liquor license.

Wilshire Gun Range, a 40,000-square-foot facility with 24 firearm lanes, 10 archery lanes and a full bar, will be able to serve drinks after the Oklahoma City Council approved the state’s first ever liquor license to a gun range, reported foxnews.com.

“As a group we wanted to build a place, the first one in Oklahoma, where you could go in, shoot, enjoy the retail area, and then go to the cafe,” Jeff Swanson, co-owner told Fox 25 Oklahoma City.

The city council voted 6-3 to approve the license. The owners will then need to apply to the Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission for the license.

Capt. Brent Fairchild of the ABLE Commission said “I’ve never seen a business that does the firearms that has a liquor license. But it’s possible that if they apply they could be the first one.”

Swanson told reporters they are working with other gun ranges in other states like California and Texas that also have alcohol licenses to ensure that the alcohol and shooting don’t mix, according to the New York Daily News.

“Once you order a drink your driver’s license is scanned and you are red-flagged and you’re not allowed into any of the shooting facilities either as a spectator and certainly not as a shooter for the remainder of the day,” Swanson said. Anyone who wants to shoot a gun must do so before taking a drink.

Fairchild argues that people who want to drink then shoot will find a way. “No matter how many safeguards you put in place there’s always someone who’s going to try to get around those.”

“Guns and alcohol will never mix at Wilshire Gun,” Swanson said. “We have an absolute zero-tolerance policy.”

City council member Larry McAtee voted against granting the license saying “Alcohol is legal and guns are legal. I have a problem mixing the two.”

“It’s generally a horrible idea,” said gun owner Mike Giacobbe. “You really don’t want to mix alcohol with a firearm.”

“I don’t see any problem with it, providing that people drink after the fact, not before the fact,” countered Ovid Priffer.

Many people weighed in on social media.

“Great idea! Nothing better than a drunk unless it’s a drunk with a trunk full of ammo and weapons driving while intoxicated,” said Donna Mandell Hyatt.

[Image via Wilshire, OKC.]