Sunday sales will match nearby areas
By Brenna R. Kelly Enquirer staff writer
BURLINGTON - At Margarita's, diners can't order a margarita on Sunday.
"We have a lot of people leave because they want to drink a margarita," said Javier Martell, manager of the Mexican restaurant on Mount Zion Road. "Every Sunday somebody says something about it. We're losing business."
In unincorporated Boone County, restaurants can only sell beer on Sunday and package liquor stores are closed because they can't sell liquor or wine.
But just miles away in Florence, the liquor flows in restaurants and liquor store doors are open.
Now Boone County Fiscal Court wants to loosen Sunday liquor laws to match Florence and other Northern Kentucky communities.
"I feel we need to offer a level playing field for all businesses in Boone County," Commissioner Terri Moore said at Tuesday's Fiscal Court meeting. "Florence has already done it, other communities have done it."
Commissioners Charlie Kenner and Cathy Flaig agreed.
"I think it's unfair right now that businesses in unincorporated areas are not able to be competitive," Kenner said.
Last month, several liquor store owners petitioned Fiscal Court to change the law as Florence did in December.
Jerry Dietrich, who manages the Burlington Kroger store, said his store is losing Sunday liquor sales to the Florence store, which is just three miles away.
Representatives from Fiesta Liquors, which is near Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, brought a petition signed by 300 customers, ranging from Burlington to Texas.
Since all three commissioners said they supported the change, Fiscal Court will hold a first reading of an ordinance allowing the sales March 15.
The ordinance would allow package liquor sales on Sunday from 11 a.m. to midnight and allow restaurants to serve wine and liquor from 1 p.m. to midnight, the same as Florence.
A second reading would be April 5.
Despite the commissioners' support, Judge-executive Gary Moore said he does not agree.
"I understand the commissioners' reasoning to want to have a uniform ordinance that is the same for all businesses whether in the city of Florence or outside of it, and I understand what they are trying to accomplish, I'm just opposed to it," Moore said, citing his Baptist faith.
If Boone County passes the ordinance, liquor stores in Walton and Union will be able to open on Sundays because those towns do not have alcohol beverage control administrators, said County Administrator Jim Parsons.
There are 10 liquor stores and about eight restaurants, including Margarita's, in unincorporated Boone County that the change will affect.
Sunday package liquor sales in Kentucky became legal last fall, when the state court of appeals gave local governments the power to regulate them.
So far, eight Northern Kentucky cities have made Sunday package liquor sales legal.
Florence has allowed the sale of mixed drinks and wine from 1 p.m. until closing in restaurants since 2003.
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