Sunday liquor sale bill passes House

MONTROSE  — Alcohol consumers may anticipate a bill making its way to Gov. Bill Ritter’s desk, although being able to sell liquor on Sundays is getting mixed reviews from business owners.

If passed, Senate Bill 82 would allow liquor stores to open on Sundays.

Tuesday, the bill passed the Colorado House in a 43-21 vote. It returns to the Senate, and if passed there, will go to the governor for a signature. The Senate passed the bill Feb. 25 before it was sent to the House.

“I don’t think we are going to gain much out of it and it opens the doors larger for grocery stores,” CB Liquors owner Lani Bentley said.

While SB 82 was making its way through the Senate, Senate Bill 149, which would have allowed the sale of liquor in grocery stores, was killed.

Though grocery stores lost their fight, if SB 82 passes, liquor owners see grocery stores returning with a more solid argument — SB 82 robbed them of their Sunday beer sales.

If this happens and grocery stores win their next fight, then it’s only going to negatively affect liquor store sales.

“This is opening the doors to these laws that were in place currently protecting us,” said Jason Gordon, owner of The Liquor Store.

Besides opening doors, Gordon supports SB 82.

“I think there will be an increase in sales, but we’ll need to staff accordingly,” he said, adding that this would also increase employment opportunities in the community.

Another reason he supports SB 82 is that he sees Sunday as one of the community’s biggest shopping days. By not having the opportunity to buy liquor on those days, the law cuts into what could be a profitable market.

Bentley, however, said that as a smaller liquor store, this just means one more day of work.

“I’m not very happy (about the bill),” she said, adding that she “can’t say” whether she’d be open on Sundays.

Other smaller liquor store owners agree.

“We would like to have a day off once a week,” said Randy Hedrick, 12-year owner of Drive-In Liquors.

Hedrick said he doesn’t see it affecting sales. Rather, it will only raise business overhead.

Though he said he doesn’t care whether it passes or not, if it does pass, he’ll have no choice but to be open on Sundays so he doesn’t lose sales to competitors.

Contact Kati O’Hare via e-mail at katio@montrosepress.com