With the first Sunday of alcohol sales on the books, local restaurant owners are hearing one thing: “cha-ching.”
Before the ordinance was passed, numerous eateries and bars chose to be closed on Sundays due to city law not allowing alcohol to be served. With the fall of prohibition on Sundays, Starkville residents should gear up for a wave of restaurants and bars remaining open on Sunday.
Starkville chef Ty Thames said he was more than pleased with the premier Sunday and all four of his restaurants will now be open this weekend.
“I had just two of my places open this past Sunday, both Restaurant Tyler and Rock Bottom Bar and Grill, and each had very good sales,” Thames said. “Restaurant Tyler saw an increase of a few hundred dollars in sales this Sunday because alcohol was allowed to be sold, and that’s why Bin 612 and Barristers will also be open on Sundays from now on.”
Thames said almost all of the clientele who came to eat at Restaurant Tyler came from church, and no one seemed offended by the selling of alcohol.
“Many of the people who had come from church to enjoy brunch had a Bloody Mary or a mimosa,” he said. “Everyone seemed pleased to have the freedom to enjoy a drink if they wanted to.”
With the addition of Sunday sales to calendars, Thames said his restaurants are planning to offer new drink specials and even create different menus for the day.
“What is going to make Sunday different for us is that we’re going to make breakfast for dinner on Sundays at Restaurant Tyler,” he said. “This will make us the only place in town where you can enjoy a great breakfast on a day of relaxation.”
Also jumping on the Sunday band wagon is The Veranda. Owner Frank Jones said the addition of alcohol revenue played a part in the decision to open.
“We tried to be open on Sundays for a little while but didn’t have much success,” Jones said. “With the additional revenue of drink sales and specials including prime rib, mimosas and bloody marys, we thought it was time to try it again.”
Ward 4 Alderman Jeremiah Dumas said even though businesses are enjoying the increase to their bottom line, it is the patrons who are benefitting the most.
“I have heard from a number of people who have said they enjoy being able to go have a beer on Sunday and watch football,” Dumas said. “I am not sure how much revenue was brought in due to the sales, but I believe it’s a very positive step we have taken with this new ordinance.”
One of those patrons, senior political science major Megan Walters, said she has never understood why she lacked the privilege of purchasing a drink on Sunday.
“Every time we go out to eat on Sundays, I am tempted to ask for a drink but then remember it’s not possible,” Walters said. “I, for one, am happy to have the choice to purchase an adult beverage if I want to.”
While the first week of sales benefitted only restaurants and bars, starting this Sunday grocery stores and gas stations will be able to sell beer. Dumas said just as with the first Sunday of sales, he expects not to hear any complaints about stores selling beer.
“I have heard nothing in the way of complaints, and I don’t expect to hear much now that it’s passed,” Dumas said.
Even as Dumas sees little downfall in Sunday sales, some local restaurants are remaining closed on Sunday.
In an e-mail statement to The Reflector, EatWithUs Group owner John Bean said its local franchises are making no major changes even after the implementation of Sunday sales.
“We will not be opening Harvey’s at this time [and] do not plan to sell beer, wine or liquor at Sweet Peppers,” Bean said.