Recently, Governor Kathy Hochul signed several bills into law that relate to alcoholic beverages. One of these bills expands the hours of operation for liquor and wine stores on Sundays, allowing sales to start two hours earlier. The new hours are from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.
Danny McTamaney, sales manager at Cornwall Wines & Spirits, expressed his satisfaction with the change in hours, as it allows him to connect with customers as they shop for their favorite adult beverages. He feels exceptional when customers are happy with the products he has sold. However, he noted that the expanded hours have not had much of an impact on business so far. Customers seem oblivious to the change and typically do not stock up on alcohol on Sunday mornings unless there is a special occasion.
McTamaney believes that the timing of the policy change is ideal as the holiday season approaches. With big parties and social gatherings on the horizon, he anticipates an increase in sales of wine and whiskey during this time. He sees this as the best time of year to be in the business.
In addition to expanding Sunday hours, other policy changes include allowing retail sale of beer on Sundays, increasing the duration of a brewer’s license, authorizing sale or promotional gifting of complimentary products for wine and spirits, and adding some locations to a list of sites not subject to laws that limit manufacturers and wholesalers from sharing licenses.
McTamaney and his team plan to continue incorporating the new hours into their operations and hope that consumers will take notice of the extended hours