Repeal of Prohibition (1933)
The 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment's nationwide alcohol ban, returning alcohol regulation to the states. States then created licensing systems for sellers; Denver built its own liquor licensing apparatus.
States and cities issued licenses to restaurants, bars, and stores, creating a regulated alcohol market.
The licensing framework persists; today, new businesses like The Coastal Service still apply for permits through the same system.
Explains why a restaurant needs a municipal liquor license in the first place — the 1933 repeal made states the gatekeepers of alcohol sales.
