Pull to refresh
Logo
Oklahoma City vinyl lounge SoundBar appears on state liquor license list

Oklahoma City vinyl lounge SoundBar appears on state liquor license list

Rule Changes Oklahoma City, OK local

The listening bar at 712 N Broadway now has the mixed beverage license it needs to serve alcohol.

Yesterday: SoundBar's mixed beverage license appears on ABLE list

Overview

Updated 2 hours ago

The SoundBar, a vinyl listening room above ZamZam Mediterranean Grill in downtown Oklahoma City, now appears on the Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission's list of mixed beverage licensees. The record appeared on the list when it was read on September 2, 2026.

The license is the gate between a room with records and a room that can legally pour. It doesn't say when the license was granted or when the bar opened. It says the state currently lists the business as cleared to serve alcohol.

Why it matters

The license lets The SoundBar legally sell the drinks that make a listening bar work; without it, the room couldn't stay open.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

1
Mixed beverage license on record
The ABLE list shows one active mixed beverage license for The SoundBar.
5
Public open days per week
The bar opens Wednesday through Sunday for themed listening nights.
15,000
Vinyl records on site
The SoundBar says its on-site collection holds about 15,000 records, mostly for sale.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Ever wondered what historical figures would say about today's headlines?

Sign up to generate historical perspectives on this story.

Play

Exploring all sides of a story is often best achieved with Play.

Most of these play right now — no account needed. Sign up to save scores, keep a streak, and unlock Debate and Predict. Log in Sign Up
Predict 3 ways this could play out. Back the one you believe — contrarian picks score more when a scenario has a resolution date. Log in to play

People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

1 event Latest: Yesterday
  1. SoundBar's mixed beverage license appears on ABLE list

    Latest Licensing

    State alcohol regulator lists The SoundBar as cleared to sell mixed beverages at 712 N Broadway Ave.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2007–present

Vinyl revival (2007–present)

After decades of decline, vinyl record sales began climbing again in the late 2000s. By the early 2020s, vinyl revenue in the U.S. had surpassed CDs for the first time since the 1980s.

Then

Record stores reopened and listening bars appeared in cities across the U.S.

Now

Vinyl became a premium format, not just a nostalgic one.

Why this matters now

The SoundBar is part of that revival. Its collection of thousands of records for sale is what turns a bar into a music destination.

October 2018

Oklahoma's alcohol law overhaul (2018)

Oklahoma voters passed State Question 792 in 2016, and in October 2018 the state began allowing grocery stores to sell full-strength beer and wine. The law also reworked how the state licenses bars and restaurants.

Then

Oklahoma's alcohol retail system became simpler and more modern.

Now

The mixed beverage license remained the key permit for on-premises drinking.

Why this matters now

SoundBar operates under the post-2018 licensing system. Its ABLE license is the same kind of permit every Oklahoma bar needs before it can legally pour.

1950s–1960s

Tokyo jazz kissa boom (1950s–1960s)

In postwar Japan, American jazz records spread through small bars and coffee shops called 'jazz kissa.' Owners invested in high-end turntables and speakers, and customers paid for drinks and time to listen.

Then

Jazz kissa became cultural hubs for Japanese jazz fans and musicians.

Now

They established the template for today's listening bars: serious sound, intimate seating, and a drink in hand.

Why this matters now

The SoundBar is a direct descendant of this format. Like the jazz kissa, it depends on alcohol sales to keep the listening room open, which is why the state license matters.

Sources

(4)