From the Office of John Suchy

Liquor Control Division Director

July 1, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION

The department wishes to issue this advisory as it relates inaccurate information which is being disseminated by some media outlets today regarding three issues:

A.)   Ownership Interest in Package Stores.

B.)    Hours of Operation for Package Stores and Grocery Stores that sell beer and some other entities

C.)    Pricing of Alcoholic Liquor by Retailers

Effective today, ownership interest has increased from 3 to 4; on July 1, 2016 it will increase from 4 to 5

Effective today, hours of operation for package stores is Monday-Saturday 8am to 10pm, and on Sundays from 10am to 6pm.

There has been no change in pricing, i.e. minimum bottle price structure is still in effect.

As it relates to package stores, the law which went into effect today states, in relevant part, that

“No person, and no backer as defined in section 30-1, shall, except as provided in this section, acquire an interest in more than  four alcoholic beverage retail permits, except that on and after July 1, 2016, such person or backer may acquire an interest in no more than five alcoholic beverage retail permits.

As it relates to the hours of operation for package stores, the law which went into effect today states, in relevant part, that

(d) The sale or dispensing of alcoholic liquor in places operating under package store permits, drug store permits, manufacturer permits for beer, manufacturer permits for beer and brew pubs or grocery store beer permits shall be unlawful on Thanksgiving Day, New Year’s Day or Christmas; and such sale or dispensing of alcoholic liquor in places operating under package store permits, drug store permits, manufacturer permits for beer, manufacturer permits for beer and brew pubs and grocery store beer permits shall be unlawful on Sunday before ten o’clock a. m. and after six o’clock p. m. and on any other day before eight o’clock a. m. and after ten o’clock p. m. It shall be unlawful for the holder of a manufacturer permit for a brew pub to sell beer for consumption off the premises on the days or hours prohibited by this subsection. Any town may, by a vote of a town meeting or by ordinance, reduce the number of hours during which such sale shall be permissible.

John J. Suchy, Director of the Liquor Control Division