Santa Won’t Be Relaxing With a Drink After Christmas—And Neither Will You
by Hugh McQuaid | Dec 23, 2011 12:22pm
(17) Comments | Commenting has expired
Posted to: Business, Legal
Anyone planning to have a drink on Monday, the day after Christmas, should stock up this Saturday. Liquor stores in Connecticut will be closed on Dec. 26 due to a little-known state law.
Connecticut’s religious-based “blue laws” prevent liquor stores from opening on Sundays but when Christmas falls on a Sunday, Section 30-91d of the Connecticut General Statutes also requires package stores to remain closed the next day, according to a press release from the Department of Consumer Protection. The same will apply the week after when New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday.
“We typically receive many inquiries from liquor retailers, police officers, and the general public about this matter, so I want to ensure that buyers and sellers understand what the law says,”DCP Commissioner William M. Rubenstein said. “...In short, package stores will not be open on Dec. 26 or on Jan. 2.”
While it may be an inconvenience to alcohol consumers, Carroll Hughes, the lobbyist for the Connecticut Package Store Association, said the law makes sense for package store owners.
December is the busiest month of the year for alcohol sales and the week leading up to Christmas is the busiest week, he said. During that week people purchase liquor, not only for consumption but also for holiday gifts. Some store owners find themselves working seven day weeks just to keep the shelves stocked, he said. Sales slow down dramatically after the holiday, he said.
“Almost everyone buys alcohol before Christmas and very few buy after this,” Hughes said. “It’s probably the slowest day of the year.”
But anyone willing to take a drive to nearby Massachusetts will find package stores there open. A recently passed law changed the commonwealth’s statutes so alcohol vendors can sell on Monday. Hughes said he doubts the change will be of much help to the store owners.
“For the life of me I can’t figure out where is that beneficial,” he said.
Though Hughes said owners have no intention of pushing for the right to open this Monday, he said one year they were allowed by a special act to open on two Sundays when Christmas and New Year’s fell on Mondays.
He said he wanted that exception to the Connecticut ban on Sunday alcohol sales become a permanent part of state statute. However talks broke down when proponents of a Sunday sales law started pushing for liquor stores to be open 52 Sundays a year. There are very few Sundays when it actually benefits store owners to open, he said.
“We try to be reasonable but as soon as we start being reasonable, others become unreasonable,” he said.
Tags: alcohol, alcohol ban, Sunda sales, holiday, Hugh McQuaid
(17) Comments
posted by: ... | December 23, 2011 1:58pm
Well, I purchased my spirits today, but the fact they wanted Sunday sales for special occasions is mind boggling.
One industry can get days open when they wish and sustains days closed when they wish through ‘special acts’.
This little stipulation is another reason to allow Sunday sales. The CPSA can easily send out a mass recognition or suggestion for stores that they don’t have to open. And I bet plenty would stay closed.
But I’ve heard just as many package stores and grocery stores (as well as customers in them) say they would enjoy Sunday’s because of sporting events and their loss of sales to bars/restaurants. This law (originally a social/religious restriction) now clearly curbs the ability for the entire industry to make their own choices and compete against neighboring states.
posted by: lkulmann | December 23, 2011 3:32pm
The way I see it is there are just too many princesses living in CT. Time to get dirty, break a few nails and work some extra hours on Sunday. Isn’t business a competitive field of work? I think I would be annoyed if the State limited the hours of my business. Its MY business and I wanna make a lot of money!! If you don’t wanna open your store they’ll come to mine..its business!
posted by: Careful | December 23, 2011 6:27pm
It’s really a blessing in disguise. If it saves only one life, by eliminating a DWI fatality—IT’S WELL WORTH IT!
Looking at the bright side, it will be a real Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Season, as long as we are spared the death of a loved one—as a result of the Monday liquor store closings.
posted by: Scatter | December 23, 2011 6:50pm
Is it really that difficult to plan ahead if you need to drink. Besides, I don’t that many people will be looking to drink for a little bit after New Years Eve.
posted by: gerardw | December 23, 2011 7:26pm
Thank goodness we have the state legislature to stand up for the interests of the Connecticut Package Store Association. I wonder what it would be like to have legislative body to represent the interests of citizens.
posted by: Christopher55 | December 23, 2011 10:04pm
God forbid you should want to buy a bottle of wine in CT on a Sunday. Lucky for me Agawam MA is only about 10 miles away. Go up there on a Sunday and every car in the parking lot has CT plates. When will CT wise up and allow Sunday sales?
posted by: ... | December 23, 2011 10:08pm
Well I’m not too sure about that Careful. They’d be closed anyway on a Christmas day Sunday. Meanwhile every Sunday of the year that does not follow on a major holiday, bars/restaurants that can sell all sorts of alcohol are free to do so.
Even on in this rare occurrence, the day after Christmas and New Years will have many of those bars/restaurants open and selling to people who have to drive there, drink there and drive home; rather than buy there, bring back home, and drink at the safety of their home. If anything, forcing people to travel and be out to drink is more dangerous.
Your point is certainly worthy of discussion, but perhaps in the grand scheme of allowing society to produce/consume alcohol. We have DWI and DUI incidents year-round. Shouldn’t every day of the year be important enough protect everyone (including the drinker) from drunk driving, not just one particular season?
posted by: ... | December 23, 2011 10:09pm
And I do wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season Careful, as well as everyone who comments and the CT News Junkie Staff. May it be a safe, but fun time, and we all get back here together for a lively new year.
posted by: Hebee | December 23, 2011 10:58pm
I agree with gerardw. We are all extremely blessed to have our State Legislature watching out for Connecticut’s Special Citizens (those with a Union or a paid Lobbyist) at the expense of the other 98% of CT Residents.
“Pastor “Careful, I support your decision to abstain on Monday, should you choose, but please don’t include the rest of us in your person decisions. We can decide for ourselves.
posted by: Careful | December 24, 2011 11:05am
JonessAC12: Now you have expanded to a further expansion of year round drinking and driving. Since you already revealed that purchased your your bottle for the Holiday—try to enjoy your celebration safely, without worrying about another year. Happy Holidays, Jonessey, along with the great staff and participants, along with readers of Ct Junkie!
posted by: Careful | December 24, 2011 2:58pm
Hebee: I’m not your appointed “Pastor,” nor did I ask anyone to abstain on Monday, nor did I say I would do so. I merely supported the package stores being closed. Hope that did not upset you? Have a drink, if you choose, and are of legal age—and feel you can handle it!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
posted by: Bobbio | December 25, 2011 11:46am
I totally disagree w/ the CT blue laws. Leave it up to the owners of the package stores if they want to open or not. Grocery stores are open on Sundays. Convenience stores are open on Sundays and most sell beer and wine. I to got to Mass., for beer and wine on Sundays and see only CT vehicles. When is this state going to wake up. The revenue should stay here and not go to other states. Pure mathematics people, but if this is what it’s going to be, all surounding states benefit while CT gets nothing. Real smart !! Change the law !!
posted by: Really? | December 25, 2011 12:10pm
Several issues here being talked about…Monday after Sunday holiday sales, Sunday sales period, etc. Taking a break from buying alcohol…maybe not a bad thing especially since the statistics shared say its some of the quietest days for sales anyway. Allowing alcohol sales on Sundays period…hmmm, the sales in the larger supermarkets and superstores may crush the little guy that decides to not open on Sunday. I’d like to hear what’s happened in other states that did the same. But I do know that when I go to Florida and some other states it sure is convenient that their supermarkets sell beer and wine right there…then again, you don’t see any of the small package/liquor stores there anymore. Think about it.
posted by: johnnyb | December 25, 2011 10:40pm
We are up against 2 lobbing bodies. The Mass packy owners make alot of money on Sunday’s from CT buyers so they probably pay off our legislators as well. Or they help pay for the CPSA lobbyists in the LOB. The common sense level of our State reps is criminal. We actually trust them with our tax dollars.
posted by: Bobbio | December 26, 2011 10:19am
This is in response to Really? The part you left out is that the larger supermarkets always have and sell beer and wine on a regular basis during the week and Saturdays. How could they crush the small guy that doesn’t open on Sundays? Makes no sense. As far as Florida and other states go, they can get other licenses to sell more libations than just beer and wine. This is why you don’t see small package stores. People have to eat. A lot of these areas have a high concentration of elderly people that don’t like making another trip to a package stores. Makes sense to me. There’s no way this state’s larger supermarkets could put any small owner out of business because they sell berr and wine on Sundays. It would have been done already!!
posted by: Disgruntled | December 28, 2011 2:00pm
I have to buy my liqour in NY because of backwards laws and high taxes in CT, but soon I will be able to gamble at home so Dan can fatten the coffers!
“Gov. Malloy Welcomes New Online Lottery and Gaming Rules”.
posted by: Bobbio | December 28, 2011 3:27pm
This is in response to Disgruntled.
Isn’t it amazing that we’ll be able to gamble on-line, subject our children to this. Face it, who’s gonna know how they are when they get into these web sites. Here’s the question. If a young person goes into a package store to buy liquor, he’s asked for an ID. We, as adults, can’t buy liquor on Sundays. HUMMM !! We pay the taxes, do the voting, spend the money and are being treated like children. Somethings seems to be wrong w/ this picture. Gov., Dan need to learn something about revenue and accounting. Don’t tell me he’s not benefitting by this finacially. I didn’t vote for him, cause I felt he was just in this for the money.