Minnesota residents have the option of purchasing alcohol from their local liquor store on a Sunday for the first time in history. <\/p>\n
Alcohol retailers are allowed to remain open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays now that Minnesota has ended its more than century-old ban on Sunday liquor sales, the Star Tribune ( http:\/\/strib.mn\/2tfKUeb<\/a> ) reported. <\/p>\n Previously, residents who wanted a drink on Sunday had to head to a bar or drive to a liquor store in Wisconsin. <\/p>\n \"It feels as if a freedom has been lifted,\" said Fred Kreider, who went to Zipps Liquors in Minneapolis to buy a keg of beer Sunday. <\/p>\n Sales were brisk for Zipps Liquor during the first day of the new law, said owner Jennifer Schoenzeit. <\/p>\n Liquor vendors in Wisconsin said they didn't notice a difference in their sales. <\/p>\n \"We're open 13 hours, and six of those hours Minnesota is closed,\" said Shelton Davis, the night manager at Chicones Liquor Mart in Hudson, Wisconsin. \"We don't panic; we've got good deals.\" <\/p>\n Ending the ban could lead to further deregulation, said Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association Executive Director Paul Kaspszak. Grocery stores, convenience stories and big-box retailers such as Total Wine may lobby for fewer restrictions, he said. <\/p>\n \"All of a sudden they want to sell chardonnay with the Cheerios, and they want to sell beer with the chicken and then we have a problem,\" Kaspszak said. <\/p>\n The increased operating costs of staying open an additional day are also a cause of concern, said Buffalo Lake Liquor manager Karissa Kurth. <\/p>\n Some store owners fear the increased overhead will make it difficult for small family-owned stores to compete against bigger retailers. <\/p>\n North St. Paul's Brightwines is a one-man shop that specializes in high-quality wines. <\/p>\n \"This law is not designed to help us; this, in fact, ignores us,\" said owner Dave Kuennen. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Information from: Star Tribune, http:\/\/www.startribune.com<\/a> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Go here to see the original: <\/p>\n 'Freedom': Minnesota liquor stores now legally open Sundays - ABC News<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Minnesota residents have the option of purchasing alcohol from their local liquor store on a Sunday for the first time in history. Continue reading