COLUMBIA, S.C. — A renewed push to expand Sunday liquor sales stalled Thursday after concerns from small, family-owned liquor stores.
The proposal by Rep. Mark Smith (R-Charleston) would allow 10 tourist-heavy counties to decide by a voter referendum whether to let stores sell liquor on Sundays.
Those counties include Beaufort, Charleston, Georgetown, Greenville, Horry, Lexington, Richland, Spartanburg, and York.
"It's time," said Smith. "Let our constituents decide."
South Carolina is one of four states who have banned liquor sales on Sundays.
Right now, bars, restaurants, and hotel lounges can sell liquor by the drink on Sundays. But state law only lets liquor stores sell from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Counties can currently hold a referendum to legalize beer and wine sales on Sunday. However, many Midlands and Upstate rural counties haven't done so.
Some say that confuses tourists who travel to South Carolina.
“Sunday sales would help us tremendously," said Jim Irving, who owns Firefly Distillery in North Charleston. "About 70% of our business on weekends is tourists and they say can we come tomorrow so we can take it on the airplane and we have to say no.”
But the biggest opposition came from small, family-owned liquor stores who say they don't want to open on Sundays to compete with bigger chains.
“I would have to open, I would have to increase my employee count. The sales are shown not to increase significantly to offset the overhead cost," said the Owner of Sweetgrass Spirit and Wine Kara Crowell.
“The only thing that really happens again for us is it increases our operating expenses and reduces the margins,” said David Osbon, who owns three liquor stores in Charleston.
The House panel voted 2-1 to adjourn debate on the bill. Rep. Chris Wooten (R-Lexington) said he supports the bill but wants to address any concerns from business owners.
"There’s gotta be other things we can do to make it a win-win and not a win-lose," said Wooten.
The bill likely won't get any movement until next year.
Legalizing Sunday sales would generate more than $2.4 million a year in state excise taxes, according to a lobbyist for Let SC Decide Lynn Murray. Murray also said a study shows 77 percent of South Carolinians favor letting voters decide.
“This will cause business owners to make very tough decisions,” Rep. Matt Leber. “I just don’t think it’s the role of government to make those choices for these business owners.”
Earlier this year, the Senate passed a bill allowing travelers to take alcohol around airports.
Lawmakers are also pushing to allow the delivery of beer and wine across the state.