Bryan Kerr is the owner of Moore Liquor, which, to use a phrase of his, is in the “blast radius of Total Wine” in Moore. The chain behemoth opened their first Oklahoma location in September, and the impact on Kerr’s business was immediate, as it was on all small operators in its immediate vicinity. It’s likely to scoop up regulars and occasional visitors well beyond Moore, though. As a fan of all things local — especially local ownership — I was curious about its impact on Moore Liquor, because just as the alcohol laws changes in 2018 had a net negative effect on local package stores, so too will Total Wine. The reasons are largely economic, but there are other motives for people changing up their habits, including our culture’s weird obsession with convenience.

Kerr has been operating Moore Liquor for approximately 20 years, after a career in radio, which is where we met. I used to have a guest spot on his late ’90s – early ’00s show Left Hook. He took a chance on a spot in Moore, and by offering great prices and even better customer service, he’s carved out a loyal following in an area not known for good booze. He’s also a past president of the Oklahoma Retail Liquor Association, so he understands the business at the operational and policy level. After Total Wine opened, he created a new website where customers could order the chain’s private label offerings, usually at a substantial savings over Total Wine’s prices. The reasons for that are explained in the episode, and an explanation of how customers can do much better at local shops than at large chains — grocery stores and retail included.