Sunday Beer Sales to Begin on Labor Day Weekend

SOME PEOPLE WE TALKED WITH AREN`T LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER DAY OF WORK, BUT THEY FEEL THEY HAVE TO BE OPEN SUNDAYS TO COMPETE WITH OTHER DISTRIBUTORS. STARTING SEPTEMBER 4TH, YOU CAN BUY BEER AND MALT DRINKS ON SUNDAYS AT LOCAL DISTRIBUTORS. David Shipula of the Beer Super tells us. "We were the last licensee in the state not allowed to sell beer on Sunday, so obviously it should help our bottom line." DAVID SHIPULA IS PRESIDENT OF MALT BEVERAGE DISTRIBUTORS OF PENNSYLVANIA, AND OWNER OF BEER SUPER AT SCOTT AND SPRING STREETS IN WILKES-BARRE. HE PUSHED FOR YEARS FOR THE LIQUOR LAW CHANGE. HIS CUSTOMERS ARE PLEASED. "You get company sometime unexpectedly, it`s nice to come and pick up a 6-pack or case of beer." "Distributors can be open from 12 to 5 on Sundays to sell kegs or cases, but they need a special permit." THE PERMIT COSTS A HUNDRED DOLLARS. SANDRA BUKEAVICH OF CITY BEVERAGE HAS ONE, EVEN THOUGH SHE LIKED HAVING SUNDAYS OFF. "It`s one day you can spend with your family where you don`t have to be at work, on that hand it is. But it`s going to be good for business." BUKEAVICH SAYS THE PERMIT`S NECESSARY TO KEEP UP WITH OTHER DISTRIBUTORS... AND KEEP UP WITH RESTAURANTS AND OTHER BUSINESSES ALREADY SELLING ON SUNDAYS. THE LAW ALLOWS DISTRIBUTORS THE CHOICE, EVEN IF THEY DON`T WANT TO BE OPEN. "There are some distributors who did not want Sunday sales because they did not want to be open on Sundays." AND JUST BECAUSE A DISTRIBUTOR HAS A SUNDAY PERMIT, DOESN`T MEAN IT HAS TO BE OPEN EVERY SUNDAY. THE OWNER OF CITY BEVERAGE BELIEVES IT WILL TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO BUILD SUNDAY CLIENTELE, BUT OVERALL, THE LAW WILL HELP BUSINESS