BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) — Liquor sales coming to Bulloch County are now one step closer to being available for people living outside the city limits of Statesboro after Tuesday’s County meeting.

“Times have just changed,” said Tom Couch, county manager.

For decades you couldn’t buy liquor in Bulloch County.

“We’ve become bigger and more populated,” said Couch.

The County rezoned the locations of its first two liquor stores outside of any city limits.

“Frankly, I thought with as many liquor stores that have opened up in the city of Statesboro that they would be farther out in the county,” said Couch.

Because of elections in the past few years, you can only buy in Statesboro until stores outside can be built. As the County continues to rezone areas outside the city for package sales, Couch says we could see them start popping up next to major highways.

“It does open the door for them to now come in and purchase a retail package license,” he said.

He says the decision to bring in liquor stores has little to do with extra tax revenue and more to do with making people happy.

“Many, many years ago there were a lot of church-going people and folks like that who were very much against any kind of alcohol sales,” said Couch. “Those times have changed.”

Couch says we could see the stores open up in six months to a year.

Brooklet voted last night on a referendum that would bring liquor into their city limits – it was denied by just one vote.