ABC stores to open Sundays

BY BILL FREEHLING

Virginia ABC stores in the Fredericksburg area will open Sunday afternoons starting July 1.

Currently, all area ABC stores are closed Sundays, but that will soon change. The Virginia General Assembly this past session allowed ABC to open stores statewide on Sundays at its own discretion starting July 1.

Store hours on Sundays will be 1–6 p.m. statewide. ABC stores will continue to be closed Sundays in areas where local ordinances prohibit it.

This is the third wave of Virginia General Assembly legislation permitting Sunday sales. In 2004, legislation allowed for 95 ABC stores in Northern Virginia, Virginia Beach and Norfolk to open on Sundays. In 2008, legislation expanded Sunday sales to cities with populations of 100,000 or more, leading to an additional 36 stores opening that day of the week.

The Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will evaluate each store’s Sunday sales after six months, said department spokeswoman Kathleen Shaw. After that, customer sales will determine whether a store remains open Sundays.

Bill Freehling: 540/374-5405

bfreehling@freelancestar.com

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