PROHIBITION TOWN Alcohol will flow, despite history

Voters approved the change, but not all are happy with it.
WESTERVILLE, Ohio (AP) -- The end of a 150-year ban on alcohol in the historic area of this Columbus suburb will not take away from its role in helping bring about Prohibition, says a restaurant owner who figures to benefit from the change.
"The history is not going away," said Michael Purdum, owner of the Old Bag of Nails who plans to invest $1.5 million in a restaurant. "Do you want the legacy of the Prohibition movement to be an old, boarded-up town with tumbleweeds rolling down the middle of it?"
Ohio's Anti-Saloon League was created in 1893 and had its headquarters in Westerville. In 1898, the city became one of the first in the state to pass a Prohibition ordinance. The Anti-Saloon League helped bring about Prohibition from 1920 to 1933.
Last week, city residents voted 3-to-1 last week to approve liquor licenses for three restaurants, including Purdum's proposed restaurant in the historic district.
Purdum said he may offer a "Purley burger," in recognition of Purley Baker, an early superintendent of the Anti-Saloon League.
Before the election, there were no liquor sales licenses in the district where the city originated. The first license to sell alcohol in another part of Westerville was approved in 1998.
Opponent
"It's sad to see the other side cheering and triumphant for basically destroying the last little bit of the dry tradition in Westerville," said Amy Pressler, who opposed the issue and does not drink.
Pressler notes the mom-and-pop shops, ice cream parlors and the quiet pace in the area.
"For years, people have moved to Westerville knowing it was dry and enjoying the tangible benefits of it being dry," she said.
"Westerville had something that made it unique in the world," she said. "We've got communities famous for their pumpkins, tomatoes, corn. Westerville could have done something with our history."
She also worries that somebody will drive away from the restaurant after having too much to drink.
But many voters think it is time for a change.
"Everybody seems to be pretty pleased about it," said Gary Vorhees, a barber for 14 years at Westerville Center Barber Shop. "One guy told me, 'If the temperance movement was here today, they would be considered terrorists.' If someone comes into your town with an ax and starts to bust up your business, what would you think?"