rather not open on Sundays.
A Bay State Blue Law change is putting pressure on R.I. business, lawmakers
Owners of Rhode Island liquor stores bordering Massachusetts say
they will watch closely as competition across the line opens their doors on
Sundays. But whether these Rhode Island stores will be pushing for changes in
state Blue Laws to allow them to do the same is up in the air.
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“I am very concerned about business going across the state line,”
said Elliott N. Fishbein, president of Town & Wine Spirits in East Providence.
“But, I think we are closed on Sundays for a good reason. I’m a strong believer
in family and that there should be a moment of rest and peace for myself and
my (17) employees.”
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney recently signed a measure scaling back puritan-era
Blue Law regulations, paving the way for liquor stores in the Bay State to be
open on Sunday. Bay State lawmakers said this act was done to help the state’s
liquor stores compete with their competition in New Hampshire and New York on
Sundays.
In Rhode Island, state Rep. Henry Rose, a Democrat representing East Providence
and Pawtucket, said he is looking for support for one of three bills working
through the House that would allow liquor stores here to open on Sunday, at
least during the holiday season.
One of the bills would allow liquor stores to be open every Sunday during
the year. Another of his proposals, aimed at the 2004 season, would allow for
stores to open on the Sunday before Thanksgiving and for every Sunday up until
New Year’s.
“If it is good for Massachusetts, then why wouldn’t it be good for us,” Rose
said.
A Rhode Island law passed this year allows liquor stores to open on the two
Sundays before Christmas and the Sunday before New Year’s Day.
Will Tang, owner of Warehouse Liquors located a “stone’s throw” away from
the Massachusetts border in Woonsocket, said he’ll wait to see if his business
is affected by the Bay State’s regulation change.
“There is no question there will be an impact. But, I don’t think it will
affect us much,” he said, adding that there is already incentive for buyers
to cross the line because of lower sales taxes.
“Opening on Sunday may alert more Rhode Island buyers to this, but I think
they already know,” he said
Fishbein said he would be against any legislation to allow for liquor stores
in Rhode Island to open on Sundays. In addition to his philosophy about resting
on Sundays, paying time and a half and other factors would not make opening
for business fiscally worthwhile.
“I will hold out as long as possible before I would ever open on Sunday, even
if the state allows it,” he said.
Chuck Borkowski, vice president of marketing for Rhode Island alcohol distributor
McLaughlin & Morin Inc., said time will tell how the Massachusetts move
may affect business here.
“There has been no discussion among management relative to the impact and
we haven’t taken a position on opening stores on Sundays,” he said. “We’ll have
to see how it plays out in January when the playing field tips a little in favor
of Massachusetts.”
