WickedJest00
Forum Member
Vaughn Derderian has heard it often: "Please, it's 11:45, can't you just give me one?"
Under Michigan law, the owner of the Anchor Bar in downtown Detroit can't serve Lions fans a beer or any other booze before noon on Sundays.
But that could change.
Trying to find revenue to offset deep cuts to popular programs, the Legislature may vote to allow serving Sunday drinkers before noon if the bars pay a $1,500-a-year fee. Retailers with licenses could sell before noon, too, if they paid the fee.
The legislation also would permit bars to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. -- two hours past the current last call -- again for a $1,500 fee. The changes would generate about $13.6 million.
"It's been a tradition for us at the Anchor to be open every possible hour of every possible day," Derderian said of his bar. "I think the fees sound reasonable."
But 7 a.m. on Sundays?
"That's a little bit early for a Sunday. The whole reason for the noon time frame was to encourage people to go to their houses of worship," said Edward Deeb, president of the Michigan Food & Beverage Association, which represents 3,400 grocers, convenience stores, restaurants and bars. "We'd still like to see some respect for that concept."
Trying to fill a $2.8-billion budget hole, state legislators are looking to the bottle to help drown their budget sorrows.
New fees that would allow bars, restaurants, convenience and grocery stores to expand the hours that alcohol is sold would generate about $13.6 million in revenues for the state.
One $1,500 annual fee would allow bars, restaurants, bowling alleys and party stores to sell alcohol until 4 a.m. instead of the current 2 a.m. curfew. A second $1,500 annual fee would allow bars and grocers to begin selling alcohol at 7 a.m. instead of the traditional noon start time for Sunday sales.
"That would be a godsend for us on game days," said Elizabeth Markle, manager of the Elwood Bar and Grill, which is close to both Comerica Park and Ford Field. "We get people in here at 10 a.m., so it would give us more than just one hour of crunch time."
Andy Deloney, spokesman for the Michigan Restaurant Association, said his group favors expanded hours for serving alcohol.
"But that fee is way too high," he said.
And he doesn't like giving communities the right to reject longer drinking hours within their borders, as the legislation allows.
Royal Oak City Commissioner Terry Drinkwine said the legislation doesn't make sense.
"Maybe on special occasions, but my first reaction is I wouldn't support it," he said.
Royal Oak, host to one of southeast Michigan's biggest bar scenes, already is concerned about the amount of alcohol sold there. The city will ask voters in November if the city should place a 2-year moratorium on transferring in liquor licenses from outside the city. As proposed, the moratorium would not apply to applications for transfers within the city.
Homer Smith, the executive director of Michigan's Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said the expanded hours would just put more impaired drivers on the roads.
"This will create a bar hopping scenario where people are always looking for that one last drink," he said. "I don't see any good coming out of this."
http://www.freep.com/article/20091008/NEWS06/910080432/1318/State-could-extend-bar-hours :buds:
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I dont know about everyone else but with me working in the bar business i can see this being a mistake.
Under Michigan law, the owner of the Anchor Bar in downtown Detroit can't serve Lions fans a beer or any other booze before noon on Sundays.
But that could change.
Trying to find revenue to offset deep cuts to popular programs, the Legislature may vote to allow serving Sunday drinkers before noon if the bars pay a $1,500-a-year fee. Retailers with licenses could sell before noon, too, if they paid the fee.
The legislation also would permit bars to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. -- two hours past the current last call -- again for a $1,500 fee. The changes would generate about $13.6 million.
"It's been a tradition for us at the Anchor to be open every possible hour of every possible day," Derderian said of his bar. "I think the fees sound reasonable."
But 7 a.m. on Sundays?
"That's a little bit early for a Sunday. The whole reason for the noon time frame was to encourage people to go to their houses of worship," said Edward Deeb, president of the Michigan Food & Beverage Association, which represents 3,400 grocers, convenience stores, restaurants and bars. "We'd still like to see some respect for that concept."
Trying to fill a $2.8-billion budget hole, state legislators are looking to the bottle to help drown their budget sorrows.
New fees that would allow bars, restaurants, convenience and grocery stores to expand the hours that alcohol is sold would generate about $13.6 million in revenues for the state.
One $1,500 annual fee would allow bars, restaurants, bowling alleys and party stores to sell alcohol until 4 a.m. instead of the current 2 a.m. curfew. A second $1,500 annual fee would allow bars and grocers to begin selling alcohol at 7 a.m. instead of the traditional noon start time for Sunday sales.
"That would be a godsend for us on game days," said Elizabeth Markle, manager of the Elwood Bar and Grill, which is close to both Comerica Park and Ford Field. "We get people in here at 10 a.m., so it would give us more than just one hour of crunch time."
Andy Deloney, spokesman for the Michigan Restaurant Association, said his group favors expanded hours for serving alcohol.
"But that fee is way too high," he said.
And he doesn't like giving communities the right to reject longer drinking hours within their borders, as the legislation allows.
Royal Oak City Commissioner Terry Drinkwine said the legislation doesn't make sense.
"Maybe on special occasions, but my first reaction is I wouldn't support it," he said.
Royal Oak, host to one of southeast Michigan's biggest bar scenes, already is concerned about the amount of alcohol sold there. The city will ask voters in November if the city should place a 2-year moratorium on transferring in liquor licenses from outside the city. As proposed, the moratorium would not apply to applications for transfers within the city.
Homer Smith, the executive director of Michigan's Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said the expanded hours would just put more impaired drivers on the roads.
"This will create a bar hopping scenario where people are always looking for that one last drink," he said. "I don't see any good coming out of this."
http://www.freep.com/article/20091008/NEWS06/910080432/1318/State-could-extend-bar-hours :buds:
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I dont know about everyone else but with me working in the bar business i can see this being a mistake.
