By Jennifer Edwards
The Cincinnati Enquirer

WEST CHESTER TWP. - Come Sunday, you'll be able to belly up to the bar.

Alcoholic beverages will flow on Sundays at several bars, restaurants and stores from Monroe to West Chester Township after voters approved new liquor options Tuesday.

The measures passed throughout Butler County - except in Middletown, where voters rejected Sunday sales of wine and mixed beverages for Max's Mart on Tytus Avenue by 98 to 94.

"Only four votes," bemoaned Sally Phung, one of Max's Mart's owners, on Wednesday. "We were expecting to lose anyway. When I asked a lot of customers yesterday if they voted and to please vote for us, most of them said they never registered to vote. . . . Maybe we'll have better luck next time."

In Monroe, voters supported liquor options for Froggy Blues for sales of beer and malt and for Munafo's Jubilee to operate a liquor agency store and to sell wine and mixed beverages on Sundays for off-premises consumption.

"They want someplace to go on Sunday and watch football games and drink beer," Councilman-elect Bob Kelley said. "If the businesses are being supported, they are going to draw more revenue and that will help the city in the long run."

Voters also approved Sunday liquor sales at Putters Tavern on Cincinnati-Dayton Road and at eateries at Streets of West Chester, a new center off Union Centre Boulevard.

In Fairfield Township, Paul's Drive Thru on Hamilton-Mason Road received the nod for Sunday sales of wine and mixed beverages for off-premises consumption.

In Oxford, voters approved sales of wine and mixed beverages for on-site consumption at Miami University's Philip R. Shriver Center, and approved Sunday liquor sales at the school's Marcum Center.

Sunday sales of wine, mixed beverages and liquor passed for El Burrito Loco on Locust Street.