Buying Beer On Sundays In Russell County, Va: What's Allowed?

In Virginia, beer and other alcohol sales are regulated by the state government, with Sunday sales only being legalised in 2012. While alcohol sales are permitted across the state, there are nine dry counties where the sale of distilled spirits is illegal. In Russell County, a 1945 ordinance bans Sunday beer sales, and a public hearing was held in November 2024 to discuss whether this should be repealed.

A 1945 ordinance bans beer sales from midnight Saturday to 6 a.m. Monday in Russell County, VA

A 1945 ordinance in Russell County, VA, bans beer sales between midnight on Saturday and 6 a.m. on Monday. This means that, for 14% of the year, businesses in the county are unable to sell beer. This includes restaurants, gas stations, bars, and grocery stores. The ordinance is a remnant of Prohibition-era laws, which have been repealed in most of the United States.

In 2024, a public hearing was held in Lebanon, VA, to discuss whether the ordinance should be repealed. County resident Jarrod Ring argued that repealing the law would benefit the county financially and could help attract new businesses and residents. The ordinance also causes local stores to lose business to neighbouring counties, where there are no bans on Sunday beer sales.

The sale of alcohol in the United States is regulated at the state level. While Virginia is not a dry state, nine counties within the state are dry, meaning the sale of distilled spirits is illegal. However, this law does not include beer. In Virginia, alcohol sales are permitted from 6 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Sunday, with on-premises locations such as bars and restaurants able to stay open until 2 a.m. with a mixed beverage license.

Citizens and merchants have requested that Sunday beer sales be allowed in Russell County

Virginia is not a dry state, but nine counties in Virginia are dry in that the sale of distilled spirits is illegal. Interestingly, the sale of distilled spirits in those nine counties is only illegal in retail form, and the law doesn't include beer. In Virginia, alcohol sales are permitted from 6 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Sunday. On-premises locations like bars and restaurants can remain open until 2 a.m. with a mixed beverage license.

Russell County is one of the nine dry counties in Virginia, where the sale of distilled spirits is illegal. However, citizens and merchants have requested that Sunday beer sales be allowed in the county. Currently, a 1945 ordinance bans beer sales from midnight Saturday through 6 a.m. Monday. County resident Jarrod Ring has argued that repealing this ordinance would help the county and its businesses financially, as they are currently losing business to neighboring counties without bans on Sunday beer sales.

A public hearing was held in Lebanon to discuss the potential repeal of the 1945 ordinance. The county's board of supervisors could choose to repeal the ordinance, leave it as it is, or let voters decide in a referendum. The board is considering the potential impact on the county's finances, businesses, and ability to attract new residents and businesses.

While Virginia law permits alcohol sales on Sundays, the decision to allow Sunday beer sales in Russell County specifically is still under consideration by the county's board of supervisors.

The board of supervisors could repeal the ordinance, leave it as is, or let voters decide in a referendum

In Russell County, Virginia, there is currently a 1945 ordinance in place that bans the sale of beer from midnight on Saturday through 6 a.m. on Monday. This means that, unlike in the rest of Virginia, beer cannot be bought on Sundays in Russell County. However, this could change as there has been a recent push to allow Sunday beer sales in the county. A public hearing was held on November 1, 2024, to discuss the possibility of repealing the 1945 ordinance.

The Russell County Board of Supervisors is faced with a decision on this issue. They have three main options: they could repeal the ordinance, leave it as it is, or let voters decide in a referendum. County Administrator Lonzo Lester has stated that he does not expect the board to vote on a possible repeal of the ordinance immediately.

If the board decides to repeal the ordinance, Sunday beer sales would be permitted in Russell County. This would bring the county in line with the rest of Virginia, where beer can be purchased on Sundays from 6 a.m. to midnight in off-premise locations, and from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. in on-premise establishments in mixed beverage localities. This option would likely be welcomed by citizens and merchants who have requested that Sunday beer sales be allowed, as it could boost the local economy and help businesses financially.

On the other hand, the board could decide to leave the ordinance as it is, maintaining the status quo and keeping Sunday beer sales illegal in Russell County. This option may be favoured by those who believe that the current law promotes public order and safety, or who have religious or moral objections to alcohol sales on Sundays.

Finally, the board could choose to put the decision to a referendum, allowing the voters of Russell County to decide whether or not to repeal the ordinance. This option would give the community a direct say in the matter and could help to build consensus around whatever outcome is ultimately decided. However, it could also be seen as a delay or avoidance of the board's responsibility to make decisions on behalf of their constituents.

The board's decision will have a significant impact on the community, and it remains to be seen which of these three options they will choose.

On-premise establishments in Virginia can sell beer on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. in mixed beverage localities

On-premise establishments in Virginia, such as bars and restaurants, can sell beer on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. in localities where the sale of mixed beverages has been authorised. This is in accordance with Virginia's Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) laws, which allow licensed establishments to sell alcohol during these specified hours.

The laws regarding alcohol sales in Virginia are determined by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC), which is responsible for regulating the sale of distilled spirits, wine, and beer in the state. While Virginia is not a dry state, there are nine counties that are considered dry, where the sale of distilled spirits is illegal. However, this law does not include beer.

The hours during which licensees are prohibited from selling or allowing the consumption of wine, beer, or mixed beverages on their licensed premises are from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. in localities with authorised mixed beverage sales. For all other localities, the restricted hours are from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. for both on-premises and off-premises sales.

It is important to note that there are exceptions to these restricted hours. For example, club licensees have no restrictions on when they can sell or serve alcohol. Additionally, licensees in the City of Danville are specifically prohibited from selling wine and beer for off-premises consumption between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.

The laws regarding alcohol sales in Virginia have evolved over time, with Sunday sales only becoming legal in the state in July 2012. More recently, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Virginia temporarily allowed licensed merchants to sell to-go cocktails and extended the hours for alcohol sales at special events.

Off-premise locations in Virginia can sell beer on Sundays from 6 a.m. to midnight

In Virginia, off-premise locations are allowed to sell beer from 6 a.m. to midnight on Sundays. This includes retailers such as grocery stores and gas stations. These locations can sell beer in bottles or cans, but not on draft. Off-premise locations refer to retailers that sell beer for off-site consumption, as opposed to bars and restaurants where customers can drink on-site.

The specific rules regarding Sunday beer sales vary across different counties in Virginia. For example, in Russell County, there is a 1945 ordinance that bans Sunday sales. This ordinance prohibits the sale of beer from midnight on Saturday until 6 a.m. on Monday. However, there have been recent discussions and a public hearing to consider repealing this ordinance. The county's board of supervisors has the authority to repeal the ordinance, or they can choose to leave it in place or let voters decide through a referendum.

The laws regarding alcohol sales in Virginia have evolved over time, with Sunday sales only becoming legal in the state in July 2012. The state also implemented some new laws during the COVID-19 pandemic to support businesses, such as allowing licensed merchants to sell to-go cocktails and providing extensions for the sale of these cocktails.

It is important to note that Virginia has specific laws regarding alcohol sales to minors, with the legal drinking age set at 21 years old. However, minors are permitted to consume alcohol with their parents or a spouse of legal drinking age on private, non-alcohol-selling premises.

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