4 THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS
JULY 6 - JULY 12, 2005
▼ LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Liquor laws to change
BY LIZ NARTOWICZ
Inartowicz@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
City commissioners will hear comments from the general public and local establishments on July 26 before deciding on the status of liquor sales in Lawrence.
In an effort to make liquor laws uniform across the state, the Kansas Legislature approved a new law that requires cities to adopt one of three new ordinances.
Lawrence currently operates its liquor sales under its own charter ordinance. The city created the charter ordinance in 2003 to allow the sale of alcohol on Sundays. Under this charter ordinance, liquor stores and bars are allowed to sell alcohol on Sundays between the hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Normal business hours for liquor stores are 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Businesses were still prohibited from selling on certain holidays such as Independence Day and Easter.
Approximately 20 other cities in Kansas created similar charters ordinances. The new law became effective on July 1 and will nullify the city's charter ordinance on November 15.
City commissioners have until August 2 to make a decision on Sunday sales. The new law provides the commissioners with three options. The first option is for Lawrence to become a dry city and no longer allow the sale of alcohol. City staff is not pursing this option, said David Corliss, assistant city manager and director of legal services. The second option is to discontinue the sale of alcohol on Sundays. The third option is to continue the Sunday sales but with minor changes.
If Sunday sales continue, the new law requires the sale of 3.2 percent beer to be permitted at grocery and convenience stores on Sundays. Currently, no such purchases can be made on Sundays. Business hours will also be modified. Instead of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., sales would occur between noon and 8 p.m. Holiday sales, including Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day would be allowed.
At the June 28 city commission meeting Spencer Duncan, owner of World Wine and Beer, 3106 S. Iowa, Suite 201, encouraged commissioners to consider the retailers' and citizens' opinions. Duncan said he thought liquor stores would be split down the middle while grocery stores would unanimously be for adopting the third option.
Ken Johnson, executive team leader of Super Target's grocery department, said allowing grocery stores to sell 3.2 percent beer on Sundays would be beneficial to
consumers and stores.
Patrick Miller, supervisor of Alvin's Wines & Spirits, 4000 W 6th St., said allowing grocery and convenience stores to sell on Sundays would not hurt business. If anything, it would help business he said.
Chris Wiltfong, assistant director at the Hy-Vee, said the new ordinance might help by providing another day's opportunity to sell 3.2 percent beer but that it did not sell as well as the 5 percent beer found at liquor stores such as Alvin's. Jon Smiley, manager of Cork & Barrel Wine & Spirits, 2000 W 23rd St., said the possibility of 3.2 percent beer sales on Sunday was not a threat. What was a problem was the possible change of hours, he said.
"People aren't out at 8 shopping on Sunday." Smiley said.
Smiley said come football season, if the third option is chosen, it could affect business negatively.
"Games start at noon. People are going to want to buy before the game starts," Smiley said.
Corliss said he would research the possible effects of each ordinance option. Whatever the commissioners decide, citizens will have the opportunity to petition, Corliss said.
— Edited by Erin M. Droste