§ 3-7-3. Class A license — Towns and cities of 10,000 or more.
(a) In cities and towns having a population of ten thousand (10,000) or more inhabitants,
a retailer's Class A license authorizes the holder to keep for sale and to sell, at
the place described, beverages at retail and to deliver the beverages in a sealed
package or container, which package or container shall not be opened nor its contents
consumed on the premises where sold. The holder of a Class A license, if other than
a person entitled to retail, compound, and dispense medicines and poisons, shall not
on the licensed premises engage in any other business, keep for sale or sell any goods,
wares, merchandise or any other article or thing except the beverages authorized under
this license and nonalcoholic beverages. This provision shall not apply to the sale
or selling of cigarettes, newspapers, cigars, cigarette lighters, gift bags, prepackaged
peanuts, pretzels, chips, olives, onions, cherries, hot stuffed cherry peppers, Slim
Jims and similar pre-packaged dried meat products, pickled eggs, popcorn, pre-packaged
candy, styrofoam cooler, lemons, limes, and ice, nor to home bar accessories such
as pourers, glasses, cork screws, stirrers, flasks, jiggers, wine racks, ice crushers,
bottle openers, can openers and any other items of like nature which may, by suitable
regulation of the director of business regulation, be authorized to be sold. A holder
of a Class A license will not be prohibited from providing ATM machines to the general
public for use on its licensed premises. This section shall not apply to promotional
free goods which are subject to approval by the director. In the city of Newport this
license may be issued to any person, firm or corporation who are owners of bona fide
markets for the sale of alcoholic beverages in conjunction with and in addition to
the sale of meats or groceries in those bona fide markets. A person, firm or corporation
in that city may obtain a limited Class A license to sell beer, lager and ale on the
same premises as other goods, wares, merchandise and articles are sold. No Class A
license is granted for any premises unless the premises constitute a separate store,
the entrance or entrances to which shall be exclusively from the street or streets
or arcade. This provision shall not apply to any person, firm or corporation in the
city of Newport who are owners of bona fide markets for the sale of alcoholic beverages
in conjunction with and in addition to the sale of meats or groceries in those bona
fide markets and as long as the market is owned and operated by the mother, father,
son, daughter, brother or sister of the original licensee, but not otherwise.
(b) The premises shall have opaque walls which shall completely partition and sever the
premises from any adjoining market, concession or business. This provision shall not
be construed to limit the powers of the department to issue licenses on condition
nor to make rules and regulations as provided. The annual fee for a Class A license
is five hundred dollars ($500) to one thousand dollars ($1,000) prorated to the year
ending December 1st in every calendar year.
(c) Any licenses issued under the provisions of this section prior to May 8, 1964 remains
in full force and effect.