<P> For much of its history , Coors beer was a regional product and its marketing area was confined to the American West . While California and Texas were part of the 11 - state distribution area , Washington and Montana were not added until 1976 ( Oregon did not approve sales in grocery stores until 1985 ) . This gave it mystique and made it a novelty , particularly on the East Coast , and visitors returning from the western states often brought back a case . This iconic status was reflected in the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit , which centered around an illegal shipment of Coors from Texas to Georgia . The company finally established nationwide distribution in the United States in the mid-1980s . </P>
<P> For much of its history , Coors beer was a regional product and its marketing area was confined to the American West . While California and Texas were part of the 11 - state distribution area , Washington and Montana were not added until 1976 ( Oregon did not approve sales in grocery stores until 1985 ) . This gave it mystique and made it a novelty , particularly on the East Coast , and visitors returning from the western states often brought back a case . This iconic status was reflected in the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit , which centered around an illegal shipment of Coors from Texas to Georgia . The company finally established nationwide distribution in the United States in the mid-1980s . </P>
when did coors became available in the east
when did coors became available in the east
in the mid-1980s
in the mid-1980s