Stores May See Permanent 10 PM Liquor Sale Curfew Under New Plan

CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot is attempting to enforce a permanent liquor sale curfew for convenience and big box stores. Under the curfew, these stores cannot sell any alcohol after 10 p.m.

The city mandated an unpopular liquor curfew in April 2020, barring stores and even bars from selling past 9 p.m. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the move was necessary at the time to prevent people from gathering in large crowds. The curfew was lifted briefly and then brought back in October after a second wave of COVID-19.

The proposed change is bundled into a package of business recovery reforms that Lightfoot introduced during a City Council meeting on Wednesday. The mayor said limiting the sale of packaged goods would help bring business back to industries hurt most by the pandemic, such as bars and restaurants.

The proposed change says no person with a package goods license can sell or give away packaged goods 10 p.m.-7 a.m. daily. While this won't affect many grocery stores, local late-night spots for snacks and drinks will have to close earlier than before the pandemic.

The change would need the City Council's sign-off before it going into effect. At Wednesday's meeting, the ordinance was referred to the Committee on Committees and Rules.