Weston, Redding Liquor Stores Open on Sunday

Though  when Gov. Dannel Malloy proposed an end to Connecticut's blue laws earlier this year, Weston and Redding's three liquor stores will now all be open on Sundays. 

Malloy, who signed the bill into law on Thursday, May 17, said at the time Connecticut's laws were archaic and it was time to move the state into the 21st Century, allowing liquor merchants to be more competitive with out-of-state businesses.

"It is literally about our ability to compete with states that have been taking money away from us on an ongoing basis," . "When the product is less expensive and more convenient to purchase in surrounding states, you lose $570 million worth of sales. That's what we know, and what we also know is when you're paying electricity bills and other bills to keep a product refrigerated, and you have to pull down a cover over it and can't sell it, it's effectively costing you money and raising the price on that product at the same time."

Weston and Redding's three liquor stores—, and —will now all be open on Sundays, though the store's three owners expressed concern during Patch interviews in January. 

“I’ve been doing this for 35 years, I’ve put a lot of hours in,” said Larry Vavreck, owner of  in Weston. “I don’t see the value of putting in more hours, spending more money on electricity and employees. At the end of the day, I don’t think it will produce a lot more revenue for the state or for me.”

Peter's is now open from 11 to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

, owner of Georgetown Package Store, said his store is now open from 11 to 3 p.m. on Sundays. In January, he expressed concern that Connecticut residents were used to getting their alcohol for the weekend on Friday and Saturday and that being open on Sundays wouldn't bring in that much business to his store.

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"The state permits us to be open from 10 to 5 on Sundays, and we've chosen to be open from 11 to 3," he said. "We're here to serve the customers." 

Rodney Stavert, who owns Redding Wines & Spirits said in January he expected to get the same revenue over the weekend regardless of whether it was open both days or just Saturday. His store is now open from 12 to 5 p.m. on Sundays.