Sunday Drinking in Boston?

SmartWomaninShortSkirt · March 22, 2004 10:50 am

I just thought of another problem w/ Buffett playing at Fenway, in particular on Sunday. When I lived in Boston (1995-1997), bars were closed on Sundays, and liquor stores/supermarkets couldn't sell alcohol on Sundays. (This law was a remnant from the Puritan days, I can only imagine, and also exists in some forms in other states, e.g., New Jersey (no selling alcohol on Sunday mornings).) I remember that they would make exceptions for St. Patrick's Day, if it fell on a Sunday, because the bars would otherwise be losing such a big chunk of business.

So I guess I have 2 questions:
1. Is this law still in effect in MA?

2. If so, would they make an exception for the bars around Fenway for Buffett? (I guess the question is whether they make exceptions in the Fenway area for Sunday Red Sox games).

tellyRN · Post by **tellyRN** » March 22, 2004 11:02 am

That law has very recently been changed. I think this past Sunday for the Southie St Patricks Day parade was the first time Boston had an event with the new "Sunday liquor sales" in effect. I heard that the police requested that the liquor stores along the parade route stay closed, but of course.. they did not because they knew they could make $$. People were waiting an hour in line to get into the store.

RAGTOP · Post by **RAGTOP** » March 22, 2004 11:22 am

bars are open on Sundays and certain places do sell alcohol on Sundays (the new Shaws supermarket is able to sell on Sundays)

Caribbean Soul · Post by **Caribbean Soul** » March 22, 2004 11:29 am

tellyRN wrote:That law has very recently been changed. I think this past Sunday for the Southie St Patricks Day parade was the first time Boston had an event with the new "Sunday liquor sales" in effect. I heard that the police requested that the liquor stores along the parade route stay closed, but of course.. they did not because they knew they could make $$. People were waiting an hour in line to get into the store.

Actually it's not. The Mayor treid to blame the rioting (which resulted in one death) after the Superbowl on the new law.
And many of the bars along the parade route apparently did close early yesterday, as their "compromise" to Mumble's request to not open at all. (Like that would have ever happened!

)

tellyRN · Post by **tellyRN** » March 22, 2004 11:40 am

Thanks for the correction.. I wasn't sure if the law was actually in effect at the time of the superbowl or not, I just heard alot of hype with the "packies" being able to open for the parade yesterday, as if it were the first time not being just an execption to the rule, like Christmastime

I agree though, if Buffett plays Fenway, the stores will be open, they would not miss out on that oppurtunity$$!

tommcat327 · Post by **tommcat327** » March 22, 2004 11:43 am

LAWS HAVE CHANGED.YOU CAN NOW DRINK LIKE A FISH 7 DAYS A WEEK

BottleofRum · Post by **BottleofRum** » March 22, 2004 11:53 am

Asking bars and liquor stores to close in south boston during the St. Patricks Day Parade

that could be one of the funniest things Mumbles ever said.

oysters & beer · Post by **oysters & beer** » March 22, 2004 12:36 pm

Just be glad about the law change. We can't buy beer, wine, or alcohol here in S.C. on Sundays except in a couple of tourist counties. It really sucks!! I envy you guys on this one.

Caribbean Soul · Post by **Caribbean Soul** » March 22, 2004 3:05 pm

Hey do you guys down there still sell liquor in bars by the airline bottle???
I remember the first time I was in a SC drinking establishment, I thought all those racks of tiny bottle behind the bar were a cool display, and then I found out it was "pouring stock"!

Apparently used to get around the "There shall be no open bottles of liquor" law on the books.

sholleran · Post by **sholleran** » March 23, 2004 1:29 am

oysters & beer wrote:Just be glad about the law change. We can't buy beer, wine, or alcohol here in S.C. on Sundays except in a couple of tourist counties. It really sucks!! I envy you guys on this one.

No offense, but if you can't sober up enough to buy 1 day ahead, maybe you need to take a break!

These blue laws aren't that uncommon in the bible-belt or the deep south . . . and in some western states you need to join a "social club" to get a drink on Sunday - memberships available for a resonable initiation fee from the bartender, LOL!

tommcat327 · Post by **tommcat327** » March 23, 2004 11:23 am

sholleran wrote:No offense, but if you can't sober up enough to buy 1 day ahead, maybe you need to take a break!

BUT WHAT IF YOU DRANK IT ALL ON SARTURDAY NIGHT THEN FIND OUT THERE' IS ANOTHER PARTY ON SUNDAY

KYboatdrunk · Post by **KYboatdrunk** » March 23, 2004 12:40 pm

tommcat327 wrote:
sholleran wrote:No offense, but if you can't sober up enough to buy 1 day ahead, maybe you need to take a break!
BUT WHAT IF YOU DRANK IT ALL ON SARTURDAY NIGHT THEN FIND OUT THERE' IS ANOTHER PARTY ON SUNDAY

It is damned inconvienient. In Lexington, we can only buy liquor and beer at Restaurants and Bars that figured out how to get a sunday license. We can't buy them at stores. There are two explanations I can come up with, either the city wants to encourage drunken driving or the restaurants are much better at lobbying than the liquor and grocery stores.

tryin' to reason · Post by **tryin' to reason** » March 23, 2004 12:59 pm

In New Hampsha, we just walk out back into the woods and drain the still...

rednekkPH · Post by **rednekkPH** » March 23, 2004 1:09 pm

KYboatdrunk wrote:It is damned inconvienient. In Lexington, we can only buy liquor and beer at Restaurants and Bars that figured out how to get a sunday license. We can't buy them at stores.

Don't feel bad, we can't buy alcohol in a grocery store/mini-market, etc. ever!

bixxx · Post by **bixxx** » March 23, 2004 1:42 pm

tryin' to reason wrote:In New Hampsha, we just walk out back into the woods and drain the still...

and we have the state liquor stores open every day that are located, amongst other places,

in the rest area's of our interstate highways

SchoolGirlHeart · Post by **SchoolGirlHeart** » March 23, 2004 2:07 pm

bixxx wrote:and we have the state liquor stores open every day that are located, amongst other places, in the rest area's of our interstate highways

which is SO convenient on the way in to, out of, or through your state....

here in RI, you have to hit the packie for ANY alcohol, nothing at all in the grocery or convenience stores. and the package stores are closed on Sunday..... good thing the Mass border isn't too far away.

KYboatdrunk · Post by **KYboatdrunk** » March 23, 2004 2:20 pm

I guess I should not complain too much. Half the freaking state is dry! On the other hand Louisville sells alcohol every day until 4 am. Its rough to go out in Louisville after you get used to a strict 1 am closing time in Lexington.

oysters & beer · Post by **oysters & beer** » March 23, 2004 2:39 pm

Don't get me wrong here. I love and obey our big Kahuna in the heavens but I am also a believer in the separation of church and state. I believe not having the right to buy alcohol on Sunday is a violation of one's first amendment of freedom of choice. If you don't like it then don't buy it fro all of the naysayers. It's as simple as that. And yes, I have run out of beer on Saturday night and woke up dry (beneath the Carolina sky) on Sunday morning. Jimmy should another song about this....I know there is a "fine line between Saturday night and Sunday morning."

SmartWomaninShortSkirt · March 23, 2004 5:21 pm

It's so interesting to hear about how the different states deal with alcohol consumption. Although it might be annoying, it's better than the former state of affairs. The 21st Amendment to the Constitution repealed alcohol prohibition (thank God!) and left alcohol regulation to the states. So it's better that some states enact quirky rules, than the federal gov't banning it altogether! (I know, realistically that wouldn't happen today. We'd have to cecede from the union and create an actual Margaritaville nation.)

I myself have lived in 5 states since I've been of drinking age: NJ, NH, MA, CA and NY. None have been that oppressive - MA was probably the worst w/ no Sunday sales, but I guess it's improved. I loved the NH state liquor stores.

I think the rule in NJ is no sales before noon. NY and CA allow the liquor to flow freely any day of the week.

This is horrible, but in CA there were actually times when my husband and I ditched church to get some brunch, which often included too many margaritas.

My husband has traveled frequently to KY and really loved it. He even pitched it as a place we might want to live. But when he told me about all the dry towns, I was like ARE YOU CRAZY?!