Sunday Alcohol Sales Ban May End

Students with a spontaneous craving for beer or screwdrivers on Sunday afternoon may no longer be thwarted by the vestiges of Massachusetts’ puritan laws.

State legislators voted Wednesday to lift the centuries-old blue law that bans Sunday liquor sales.

If this measure passes the governor’s office, Massachusetts residents will be able to buy alcohol on Sundays—a change applauded by students, but opposed by some already-overworked store-owners.

Governor Mitt Romney is still reviewing the provision—contained within a broader economic stimulus bill—according to his Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Godbout.

Students—surprised to hear the news yesterday—said the change would spice up their social lives, giving them an extra day to use a fake ID or a reason not to go to church.

“Last Sunday, I was actually very bummed out that Louie’s was closed,” lamented Ezra J. Rapoport ’06.

He joked that if the bill passed, he would no longer have to go to New Hampshire to buy liquor.

Lifting the liquor ban would be a boon for C’est Bon, which is one of the few Harvard Square businesses that sells alcohol.

“It is a good thing, as it will increase sales,” said George M. Sarkis, the store’s manager.

Since C’est Bon is open on Sunday, Sarkis said he often has to explain to frustrated customers why they can’t buy alcohol.

“If you can buy liquor on Monday and Tuesday, why not Sundays?” Sarkis asked. “We get a lot of European and Japanese tourists in here on Sunday hoping to buy liquor, and they don’t seem to understand our state law. Where they come from, you can buy liquor any day of the week.”

But Cheng-San Chen, the owner of Louie’s Superette, has no intention to change his hours, even if the blue law is repealed.

“It’s not easy for people to stay open on Sundays, you have to hire more people and raise their salaries,” Chen said. “Everybody has to work harder, for what? I don’t think they’ll generate much more revenue.”

Chen’s sentiment is common to mom-and-pop liquor store owners statewide, according to The Boston Globe. The Massachusetts Package Store Association expressed this opposition to legislators—explaining that many of their 700 members desired one day of rest per week.

“Six days a week is enough,” Chen said.