Blue Laws

[monkeyboy]

are there any enforced anymore?

 

[ericamanda01]

I think they did away with the Blue laws years ago. Althought some small towns still operate that way. But I don't think it's a law anymore.

 

[palmtreegirl]

Bergen County, NJ still does. Even the mall is closed On Sunday.

 

[Pooh's Pixie]

Puritanical Massachusetts still has some blue laws. Most stores don't open til 12 noon and only stay open til 6. Also, only recently were liquor stores allowed open on Sunday, only from 12-6.

 

[Cantw8]

In my county, we still can't tie our horses up out in front of the courthouse during the weekdays Doesn't that suck???

 

[SOBDOSNV]

We live in Lexington, SC and yes still have the "blue laws". You can buy groceries on Sunday, but not anything else till 1:00 or 1:30. We've only been here a little over a year, and came from Reno Nevada where you can get anything almost 24hrs a day. Oh and you have to go to a special store to buy anything besides beer. But you get used to it pretty quick, and adjust your life on Sundays.

 

[Laz]

Indiana has blue laws on the books. Stores may not sell booze on Sundays or Holidays. A survey of liquor store owners and workers showed they actually like these laws because they get every Sunday and Holiday off.

 

[scduckman]

We live in Lexington, SC and yes still have the "blue laws". You can buy groceries on Sunday, but not anything else till 1:00 or 1:30. We've only been here a little over a year, and came from Reno Nevada where you can get anything almost 24hrs a day. Oh and you have to go to a special store to buy anything besides beer. But you get used to it pretty quick, and adjust your life on Sundays.

Any you can't buy alcohol on Sunday at all

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

In my county, we still can't tie our horses up out in front of the courthouse during the weekdays Doesn't that suck???

I'm used to having most everything available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When we travel a county a way to visit our parents I have to adjust my thinking that many places are closed on Sunday, some on Wednesday too, or that the hours are more limited.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Here, you can't buy beer before noon on Sunday, and hard liquor isn't sold at all.

Does anyone know where the term "Blue Law" even came from?

ETA: I found this, in case anyone is just dying to know: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_law
http://www.snopes.com/language/colors/bluelaws.htm

 

[Nancy]

Malls/stores here are either 10:00 to 5:00 (6:00) or they open at noon on Sundays. No beer until noon on Sundays. Liquor stores were finally allowed to open Sundays but if they open on Sunday they have to close another day during the week so they can't be open 7 days. Only beer and wine coolers are sold in store, to buy any other alcohol or wine you have to go to the liquor store.

 

[GeorgeG]

Before we moved, we were in NY at the NJ border and would do most of our shopping in Bergen County. Many businesses were closed and some would only sell "necessities." I've noticed here in Florida that many stores are closed on Sunday, but I don't think it has anything to do with Blue Laws.

I recall that in Washington State back in the 60's the bars would close at midnight on Saturdays, making Friday night the big night out.

I think Blue Laws are rediculous, but any store that chooses to close on Sunday, or any other day, is free to exercise that option. In the end, it's all driven by the dollar...

 

[buddy&wooz]

I know it's come up for vote a number of time over the years in Paramus NJ (home of a gazillion malls that are closed on Sunday.) They keep voting to keep the laws because it gives the residents a day of peace & quiet.

 

[MrsToad]

In Connecticut, you can't buy beer, wine, or any other alcohol on Sundays and certain holidays. And during the week, all such sales must stop at 8pm. It is common to find beer for sale at grocery stores however, anything else must be purchased at a liquor/package store.

Restaurants and bars are, however, allowed to sell drinks on Sundays. There were laws governing how late they could serve, though...it used to be something like 1:00am during the week, 2:am on Fridays and Saturdays.

 

[poohandwendy]

I'm used to having most everything available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When we travel a county a way to visit our parents I have to adjust my thinking that many places are closed on Sunday, some on Wednesday too, or that the hours are more limited.

Really? How long have you lived in PA, because it is only recent that alcohol could be sold on Sundays. It's never been available for sale 24/7.

 

[tar heel]

Of course there are still blue laws. You can't buy alcohol in North Carolina until after 1 p.m. on Sundays. This is not a local, small town law -- it's statewide.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

Really? How long have you lived in PA, because it is only recent that alcohol could be sold on Sundays. It's never been available for sale 24/7.

Exactly. And when I lived in Pittsburgh area (only a year ago), you couldn't buy any alcohol in anything but a distributor.

In Indiana, we can buy some alcohol in grocery and drug stores. As long as they sell food there too.
We also cannot buy any alcohol on Sunday (except for a drink at a restaurant) and bars (that sell food) can only stay open until 12am. Bars that do not sell any food cannot be open on Sundays.

 

[rascalmom]

The liquor stores are all closed on Sundays here (yes - all liquor is sold in separate licensed retail stores & they can't sell anything else) and also the car dealerships. I understand the liquor stores - being in the Bible belt, that kind of makes sense. But why vehicles?

 

[powellrj]

You can't buy cars on Sunday in Indiana along with no liquor sales. I use to babysit for a guy who owned a Ford Dealership and he was glad you couldn't buy a car because he said he knew he was always getting at least one day off a week.

 

[luvwinnie]

Bergen County, NJ still does. Even the mall is closed On Sunday.

Yep, and the stores that are allowed to be open have to rope off certain things. Not sure why you can buy lightbulbs, but NOT LAMPS.