Columbus Voters Approve Sunday Alcohol Sales for German Village Restaurant

Columbus voters approved Sunday alcohol sales for the Sycamore restaurant in German Village during the Tuesday, May 5, 2026, election.

The vote clears the way for the restaurant at 262 E. Sycamore St. to serve beer, wine and spirits on Sundays through Ohio’s D-6 liquor permit process.

German Village Restaurant Gets Strong Local Support

Unofficial election results showed Issue 8B passed in Columbus Ward 8, Precinct D with 97.17% support. The measure received broad backing from neighborhood voters, with only a small number of votes cast against it.

The result allows the Sycamore to move forward with Sunday alcohol service after seeking voter approval under Ohio’s local option election system.

Michelle McPherson, general manager of the Sycamore, said the restaurant appreciated the support from residents in the surrounding community.

Restaurant owners Tony Heaphy and his husband, Will, have operated the business since 2021. They had previously explained to neighbors that voter approval was required before the restaurant could legally begin Sunday alcohol sales.

Why Ohio Requires Voter Approval

Ohio’s liquor laws require some businesses to receive direct approval from precinct voters before certain alcohol permits can be granted.

The process is part of the state’s local option system, which dates back to the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. Although the Sycamore already held a standard liquor license, state law prevented the restaurant from offering Sunday alcohol service without passage of the ballot issue.

Under Ohio law, some liquor permits are limited to areas classified as “wet” precincts, where alcohol sales are allowed. Areas where alcohol sales remain prohibited are considered “dry,” though businesses can ask voters to approve alcohol sales for a specific establishment or for the wider precinct.

State officials have encouraged voters to review local option ballot questions carefully because liquor permit language can be confusing. The permits can determine whether alcohol may be sold for on-site consumption, carryout purchases or both, depending on the license.

For the Sycamore, the vote marks a local business win and gives the German Village restaurant the legal approval needed to expand Sunday service.