Local Package Stores Gear Up For Sunday, Holiday Openings

By John Voket

Mike Kerler of Sandy Hook Wine & Liquor is celebrating his tenth anniversary in business this year, but it is more likely that Mr Kerler and many of the other purveyors of beer, wine, and bottled spirits will remember 2012 as the year Connecticut added an extra work day to their schedules.

On Monday, May 14, Governor Dannel P. Malloy signed into law a bill that permits retail alcohol sales on Sundays and some holidays. Andrew Doba, a spokesman for the Democratic governor, said a more formal announcement is planned later in the week.

Sunday retail alcohol sales will be allowed starting this coming weekend. And Mr Kerler and several other liquor store owners contacted by The Newtown Bee after the law was signed say they plan to be open this Sunday, and on Memorial Day.

Under the new law, Sunday sales will be allowed from 10 am to 5 pm at package stores. Supermarkets, which already sell beer, will be able to sell beer on Sundays as well.

The new law also allows alcohol sales on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day, and Mondays following any Independence Day, Christmas or New Year’s Day that fall on a Sunday.

“Being able to open for both Sunday and Monday of Memorial Day will be huge for us,” Mr Kerler said. “I find that people won’t buy Saturday for a Monday party if the weather for Monday is questionable. Now we can capitalize on people who decide on Sunday or even on Memorial Day to have a few friends or family over for a cookout or party.”

Since weather has a lot to do with gaining or losing business, Mr Kerler sees Sundays as an opportunity he never had to increase business.

“Every good weather Sunday is a reason for people to have a party,” he said.

Last winter, many liquor sellers lost business because of bad weather on a couple of the Saturdays before big game days on Sundays.

“During the winter sports season, if there’s bad weather on a Saturday before a big game you never get that business back — people don’t come in on Monday after the games are over,” Mr Kerler said.

Despite the fact that it takes away a forced day of rest for liquor sellers, Mr Kerler said all of his employees were happy to learn they will have a chance to earn a few more bucks by working the extra days.

“Every one of my staff said they were willing and able to work Sundays — I will be, too,” he said, adding that most customers are already thrilled he will be open on Sundays and holidays. “Busy families tied up with sports and other activities on Saturdays are thrilled we’ll now be open on their only day off. For a lot of them, Sunday may be the only day they can get to the package store.”

While he may be looking at some Sunday promotions in the future, Mr Kerler said he will just be starting with awareness building about the new schedule.

Cork-N Barrel co-owner Chris Van Steen says he and partner Wayne Duris will be ready to go this Sunday, although Mr Van Steen said he would have liked to see the governor and legislature go a little further. He was disappointed that lawmakers could not find a way to force distributors to provide uniform pricing no matter how much product a retailer agrees to keep on hand at the shop.

But for now, he and his partner will be happy to welcome Sunday and holiday shoppers to their Plaza South warehouse-style store.

“My partner Wayne and I got into the service industry because we wanted to be there when customers need us,” Mr Van Steen said in a previous interview. “And whether the lights are on or off on Sunday, we still have to pay the rent, right?”

A World of Wine & Spirits owner Jeff Oetjen, who was previously opposed to elements of the original proposal, said the only aspect of the legislation he embraced was the Sunday sales component.

“I don’t think I’ll be open at 10 am this Sunday,” he said. “I think most people are still at church or in their bathrobes at that time, but I’ll be here by noon and will be open until 5, as the new law now permits.”

In a previous interview when the Sunday Blue Law repeal was introduced by Gov Malloy, Carlos Goncalves of Hawleyville Wine & Liquors was dead set against losing the one day a week he planned to spend with his family, including his grandchildren.

But on Monday, he expressed concerns that if he does not open Sundays, it might cost him the relationships he is building with his regular patrons.

“I still have mixed feelings, and I’m not sure if I will be open from 10 to 5, but I think at least in the beginning, I will have to be open,” he said.

Ultimately, being relatively close to New York, a state that has long allowed Sunday sales, Mr Kerler believes the biggest difference will be that local package and grocery stores will finally be able to get some of those Sunday customers back for good.

“I think the ones who are most upset about this new law are the store owners in Brewster and the other border towns — but they’ve been getting our Sunday customers forever,” Mr Kerler said. “Now it’s our turn to keep those Connecticut revenues and taxes in our own state.”

Associated Press content was used in this report.