Should Sunday liquor sales be allowed?

• People DO drink on Sundays. But, unfortunately people are driven to listerine and other high-alcohol products that aren't made for drinking. Not to say that this is a reason to allow Sunday sales, but your logic in thinking that people don't drink on Sundays because liquor stores are closed is very wrong. Hang out in a lower-income neighborhood grocery store on a Sunday and you will see what I am talking about.

• probably would be better off getting those growlers at town hall being that Granite City is a national chain.

• It's not like one can't buy alcohol on Sunday's... People, unfortunately, can drink to much and commit horrible acts any day of the week. I'm guessing that allowing 'Sunday Liquor Sales' will have little effect on this...

• I'm an adult capable of deciding when I should or should not buy alcohol. Prohibition seven days a week obviously didn't work. Only being able to buy alcohol at bars on Sunday is a pointless inconvenience

• A~men

• what will happen with the people who wants to drink and drive or the bad alcoholics who abuse and neglect their kids, or the rehab centers who are already filled with capacity, People actually needs to drink that much that 1 day of no liquor selling is just too much for people who enjoys drinking a bit too much, besides didnt mark dayton get arrested for dwi and he trying to pass a bill like this WHAT DOES THIS SAY ABOUT OUR GOVERNMENT. AND NOT TO MENTION THE REPEATED OFFENDERS WITH DWI/DUI HOW MANY CHANCES DO THEY GET. AFTER ALL THE HIT AND RUN ACCIDENTS THIS PAST YEAR AND PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES BECAUSE PEOPLE DRIVING DRUNK? LETS THINK ABOUT WHATS MORE IMPORTANT THAN TAX REVENUE

• Opening up liquor store restrictions to allow grocery stores and gas stations to sell liquor and allowing them to be open on Sunday will only decrease revenue for the state. It’s simple mathematics, most of the income generated from Cub Foods “supervalue” and like size competitors pay a significantly lower tax rate than the mom and pop stores. In 2009 supervalue had an effective tax rate of 10% or 65 million on 632 in pretax income. This is accomplished by funneling money through its off shore tax entities (via the bogus fraud invested 80/20 rule). This isn’t some crazy tea bagger rant read “unfair advantage” by the American Sustainable Business council or Supervalu’s publicly available 10k (yearly financial statements). You are not increasing the market but spreading 6 days of sales over 7 days. I see many people argue that the stores don’t have to stay open, but as a business hoping to stay relevant, a M/P liquor store would be forced to stay open, would lose significantly in variable overhead expenses. There is an argument that Minnesota will absorb all this income from forgone to other states by being open this extra day. Is it really worth it to cater to the small minority of alcoholics that live next to the borders to the detriment of 1000’s higher tax paying o small business owners? It’s simple dollars and cents, roughly the same amount of income at a 30% tax rate that benefits the state and small business owners or that same revenue at 10% or less that will close numerous liquor stores and increase our state’s debt.

• OMGawd no to sales in grocery stores. Underage kids and sober people would be tempted. Stop the insanity. This is just crazy speak. Unless it will fund new stadiums for the Saints and that purple horned team.

• OMGAWD do not allow this. It will be a travesty to the laws our forskin fathers put in place. Please Michelle Bachman do not let this happen. Use your crazy eyes to divert this bill from the committee.

• For all of us liberals, this is a Christian tradition, I believe we are discriminating against of fellow Jewish, Muslim and Hindu brothers and sisters. We should ban sales on Friday, and Saturday, for our Jewish friends and we should ban altogether sales to placate our Muslim, Mormon, Methodist and Hindu's who don't drink alcohol at all. Either we don't discriminate against Christians or we honor all of our fellow nion drinkers by banning alcohol. Next I suggest not only pork, but all meat, for our Vegan friends. Peace and Love

• I agree, sell it on Sundays. For now, you can buy a bottle of wine at the restaurant and cork it and bring it home. Granite City sells 2 liter Growlers for $10 every day that you take home to drink. They cork it.

• I grew up in Albuquerque (left in 1990). When I was there, it was a county decision as to whether booze sales were available on Sunday. At the time, Bernalillo County banned Sunday sales, so if you wanted booze, you had to drive over to Sandoval County. I take it they've since changed it, as they should here.

• A few years back, half of the liquor stores in West Saint Paul tried to get the city to remove the 8:00 closing restriction, while the other half did not want to have to compete with them, so they opposed it. Notice was sent to all residents who lived within 100' of a liquor store, and I was the only resident who showed up to the Council meeting. I spoke in favor of freedom of a business owner to run their own business however they like, and was not able to sway the Council. I do not support the Sunday restriction, the 10:00 closing restriction, or the only at liquor stores restriction. How nice would it be to be able to stop by a local brewery on a Sunday morning on the way to a Vikings game for a growler of fresh beer for tailgating? Man, this is pissing me off...

• Havinf moved from the Twin Cities more than 10 years ago. First to Phoenix and currently in Albuquerque I am still surprised when I come home to visit family that I need to remember to make a liquor store run on Saturday if I want to drink on Sunday. I remember the arguments against both the Sunday liquor sales and the ones against supermarket sales. In both Phoenix & Albuquerque they have sold liquor (beer, wine & spirits) minimal issues with underage sales. It's time for Minnesota to catch up with the rest of the nation.

• All these comments over booze. Fucking Hipters get your shit together.

• Yes! And in grocery stores w/o separate entrances (like Trader Joes, Byerlys etc). And allow car sales on Sunday as well. I don't follow the Christian Sabbath (heck, our Jewish and Muslim colleagues are on other days anyway), so let's eliminate these vestiges of what were known as blue laws. This isn't Utah.

• I would say yes to booze, cocaine, hashish, and weed sails on Sunday. And one other thing, have all of the above availible in Starbucks and Caribou coffee shops. Sober caffeinated people staring into laptop monitors for endless hours scares the hell our of me. I know the weed smoke would clear them out within seconds.

• Why cant we leave it up to the stores. If they want to be open sun why not. It has seemed to work for the new 10:00 closure time in Hennepin County. And while we're at it, legalize marijuana too. Could you imagine a place where you could get a sixer and a pack of joints on a sunny Sunday afternoon. That ought to diversify our tax fields.... *uck Bush

• Republicans want government out of private business. Well, put your money where your mouth is, because that's exactly what's going on here.

• I don't understand why this law has lasted this long. It makes no sense. You can go to a bar and drink on Sunday, you can drive to a liquor store in WI to buy booze on Sunday, you can buy booze on Saturday and save it to drink on Sunday. But you can't buy booze to take home on Sunday in this state. It is an antiquated law based on someone else's religious beliefs. Repeal this law immediatley!!!

• yes. that is all.

• um. not really. It's a relic from the very distant past, and increasing alcohol availability for a relatively tiny amount of tax dollars is not tops on the list of most politicians. Anyway, wouldn't the Republican governors this state has had for a long time now veto this? They are all for freedom until it comes to things their preacher doesn't like.

• Actually, according to WCCO last night there are 14 states with no sales on Sundays and I know personally that there are a lot more than 2 though I haven't verified all 14. I agree it's stupid though!

• I actually have, it's not bad.

• Not being able to buy alcohol on Sunday or in supermarkets is just example of how broken and ineffective our state government has become.

• Having lived in KS, which allows Sunday sales, and traveled in a number of states all of which allow Sunday sales, I would say emphatically MN needs to leave prohibition behind and get with the rest of the world. The only justification for banning Sunday sales is religious which last I looked isn't allowed under the constitution. How about banning Sunday sales of Bibles?

• It's unreal that we even still have this law in existence. IMO it isn't the states right to tell me when I can have my business open (I dont own a liquor store, point is any business shouldn't be subject to hour restrictions). Even the hour limits are B.S.

• We should allow sales 24/7. Stimulate the local economy plus gain more tax revenue. Its a win-win for government.

• This will cause Sunday sales of Listerine to plummet.

• Government out of our liquor stores. Let the free market decide. I remember growing up in ND and going to the grocery store, with some items covered up so we wouldn't be tempted to buy them ...

• I just urped up a little in my mouth.

• No brainer: yes. C'mon, MN. Take a baby step toward the 21st Century.

• I believe the term is recovering alcoholic. And as far as I can tell Mr. Dayton seems to be in favor of many things that will increase tax revenues.

• The corporate office is in Woodbury... For a chain, that is pretty local.

• YES to booze on Sundays. Blue Laws are ridiculously dated. Not so sure about booze in grocery stores. I love my independent sellers - more than happy to make an extra stop to support them - and some would surely suffer if SuperValu et al got in on the game.

• Does anyone expect a 'reformed' drunk like Mark Dayton to sign such a bill?

• Please please please stop being such a nanny state. Liquor store owners in every other state are able to stay open 7 days a week, and it is optional for those ma and pa shops that can't do it. Please please please stop telling me when and where I can and can't purchase alcohol.

• Of course there should be alcohol sales on Sunday. Is there a good, solid reason why a business can't choose for themselves whether they are open or not?

• We lost out on plenty of tax dollars because of it. We're only one of 2 states that still don't allow Sunday sales thanks to our stupid blue laws. Let's change that.

• Yes to selling on Sundays, yes to selling in grocery stores. Last I checked Illinois and Wisconsin haven't yet imploded from allowing these things. Also, guys and gals, at least we're not in Virginia or Pennsylvania (or a few other states, also Ontario) where liquor has to be sold at state-owned liquor stores!

• I, too am more in favor of selling booze at the grocery store. I suspect they'd sell the lower end wines / beers and the locally owned shops will continue to sell the higher end / craft expensive products - which tend to be more expensive = higher profit margin. Knowing how we like our drink, there's plenty of room for all to sell!

• Booze on Sundays and in grocery stores. BTW - is MGM a locally owned liquor store? Don't think so. A lot of liquor stores are munis - owned by the individual cities that is why you'll never see it in grocery stores, cities make too much money to agree to it.

• There is no good reason to prohibit Sunday sales of liquor. We all know the only reason its on the books is some midwestern cultural/religious values that once did, but no longer have a place in forming legislation. People need booze on Sunday even more than most days - there are sports to watch, family and friendly gatherings to be had. You want to prohibit sales one day? Take Monday or Tuesday. We already have to be 21 to buy, we don't need Papa Gov telling us when we can or can't buy booze. Booze should be sold in grocery stores too, again, when consumed legally by adults it is a complement to the food you eat, so it is only logical that you should be able to buy them together. It sucks balls to leave work and have to make 2 stops on the way home. GO BOOZE FREEDOM!

• Well, if it's a matter of smaller businesses not wanting to stay open on Sunday, let them stay closed. I've driven to WI for booze before out of last-minute necessity, and I'll do it again if our brilliant elected officials can't pull their heads out of their collective asses long enough to make their constituents happy.

• Is the government still in the business of enforcing religious observance and church attendance? If not repeal this law. If so, throw them out.

• A little off topic, but has anybody tried Walgreens new private-label beer? http://blogs.ocweekly.com/stickaforkinit/2011/02/cheap_drunk_walgreens_selling.php

• 1. Yes, many are. However, I'd bet a large majority of the Twin Cities shops at a warehouse (Rainbow for example) or wholesaler (Costco for example). 2. I guess I'm not as opposed to beer being available on a wider basis (along with the elimination of 3.2 as well). But I'd prefer wine and spirits stay in the liquor stores and with the people who actually know a little bit about them versus asking the guy stocking the cereal aisle next to it.

• yes

• Yeah, just liquor stores and the Lord

• I would be more curious if restaurants for example feel they do better on Sundays because people can't buy a beer to have at home? Is anyone against this change actually except the liquor stores?

• Why the hell not? What's so special about Sunday?

• 1. Aren't many of the grocery stores also locally owned businesses? 2. I have lived in many places where you can buy beer and wine at every gas station etc. and there are still plenty of locally, and non-local liquor/wine stores for people that prefer a bigger selection, and for liquor of course.

• Why should we cede liquor taxes to Wisconsin 52 days a year? Because people do make the drive over the river. It may not be a huge dent in the 6.2 billion dollar deficit, but every bit helps. And no to beer and wine sales in Grocery stores. You do that and you put the independents out of business. It's not that large of a burden to support locally owned businesses is it?

• I would rather see beer and wine sales in grocery stores. I am burdened more often with stopping at two places on my way home than having nothing to get day drunk with on a sunday.

TotalComments: 54