A delivery driver for Andrew’s Distributing rolls the store’s first shipment of beer into 7-Eleven on Hillcrest Avenue across from campus Thursday afternoon. (SARAH KRAMER/The Daily Campus)

It’s no secret—Texans and college students, including SMU, love to drink. And now, with the passing of the liquor laws in November, alcohol is within an arm’s reach of University Park residents.

According to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), Texans drank 22 gallons of beer and 1.1 gallons of distilled spirits (liquor) per person in 2010.

The problem for University Park residents, which includes the SMU campus, prior to November was that they lived in a dry county. In order for residents to obtain alcohol, they had to cross US-75 or the Dallas North Tollway.

Once Proposition 1 was passed, which allows for the legal sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption, grocery stores and gas stations can now sell beer and wine and restaurants can serve alcohol.

After getting their liquor licenses’ approved, the 7-Eleven at Hillcrest and Asbury began selling beer Thursday and Tom Thumb in Snider Plaza started selling beer and wine to customers Jan. 21. Tom Thumb has 63 stores in North Texas, some of which are located in dry areas.

Connie Yates, director of public affairs for Tom Thumb Food and Pharmacy, said, “It has been our desire to serve the citizens in any particular city or area as they so choose to be served.”

SMU students, over the age of 21, as well as University Park Residents are pleased with Tom Thumb and 7-Eleven’s new product.

Senior Grant Perry plans on going to either of these places to get beer because it is more convenient, closer to his apartment.

“In the past I had to drive over 75,” Perry said. “Now, I only have to drive three minutes to get beer.”

Twenty-one-year-old Marshall Hernandez, a junior at SMU, agrees with Perry.

“It’s nice to have somewhere close by,” Hernandez said.

Tara Mason, a University Park resident, said that she will continue to go to liquor stores although it is “convenient that the grocery stores are carrying beer and wine.”

The arrival of beer at the 7-Eleven coincides with the stores ability to accept students Pony cards.

Although students may use their Pony cards there, as well as other locations that sell alcohol such as CVS and Rusty Taco, Executive Director for Auxiliary Services Julie Wiksten said the card may not be used to buy alcohol or tobacco products.