Spring Break
Voters able to decide state Sunday liquor sales
Taniah Tudor
Issue date: 4/1/09 Section: News
The provision allowing expanded hours for the sale of alcohol on Sunday was put in place to allow merchants more time to make up the revenue lost through the fee increases, Thompson said. The longer hours can be shortened by local ordinance, at the option of the local city council or quorum court, he said.
Liquor store owners in Fayetteville declined to comment on the changes.
"I don't blame them," said Svend Svendsen, owner of Alpine Liquor in Eureka Springs. "They don't want to hurt themselves."
Alpine Liquor has been selling on Sundays for about six years, Svendsen said. Svendsen thinks the store owners in Fayetteville are probably just waiting to see the community's reaction, he said. Also, opening on Sundays would infringe on many people's only day off, he said.
In Eureka, the ability to sell liquor on Sunday was voted in under an emergency clause that had been added during a vote on another issue, Svendsen said. Though he doesn't know why the city decided to add the clause, Svendsen thinks perhaps it was originally part of a plan to add a tax, though that never happened, he said.
"At first, honestly, we thought they should have asked the owners what they wanted to do," Svendsen said.
He and other store owners talked among themselves about the clause, and then started opening up on Sunday, he said.
In the beginning, it was upsetting to be open every day of the week, Svendsen said.
"It's our option; we don't have to, but you don't want your regular customer going somewhere else," Svendsen said.
The extra day of income did help all those who sell liquor, including restaurants that now no longer need to purchase a special permit, Svendsen said.
"I have to say it really did improve a lot of (liquor) business here in Eureka," he said.
Liquor store owners in Fayetteville declined to comment on the changes.
"I don't blame them," said Svend Svendsen, owner of Alpine Liquor in Eureka Springs. "They don't want to hurt themselves."
Alpine Liquor has been selling on Sundays for about six years, Svendsen said. Svendsen thinks the store owners in Fayetteville are probably just waiting to see the community's reaction, he said. Also, opening on Sundays would infringe on many people's only day off, he said.
In Eureka, the ability to sell liquor on Sunday was voted in under an emergency clause that had been added during a vote on another issue, Svendsen said. Though he doesn't know why the city decided to add the clause, Svendsen thinks perhaps it was originally part of a plan to add a tax, though that never happened, he said.
"At first, honestly, we thought they should have asked the owners what they wanted to do," Svendsen said.
He and other store owners talked among themselves about the clause, and then started opening up on Sunday, he said.
In the beginning, it was upsetting to be open every day of the week, Svendsen said.
"It's our option; we don't have to, but you don't want your regular customer going somewhere else," Svendsen said.
The extra day of income did help all those who sell liquor, including restaurants that now no longer need to purchase a special permit, Svendsen said.
"I have to say it really did improve a lot of (liquor) business here in Eureka," he said.
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