Chicago Nightlife: Beer Buying Hours

Chicago has imposed various restrictions on the sale of alcohol in recent years, with the latest ordinance banning liquor sales after midnight. This has been a contentious issue, with the city's liquor laws previously allowing stores to sell alcohol until 2 am or 3 am. The new ordinance, part of Mayor Lori Lightfoot's Chi Biz Strong initiative, was implemented to help businesses recover from COVID-19 losses and address quality of life issues. While bars and restaurants are exempt from the ban and can still serve alcohol late into the evening, liquor stores must adhere to the midnight curfew. This has caused concern among liquor store owners, especially those near the city's boundaries, as customers can easily cross into neighbouring areas with later cut-off times.

Chicago liquor stores can sell until 2 am without a late-night license

Chicago liquor stores can sell alcohol until 2 am without a late-night license. This applies to businesses with a Consumption or Tavern liquor license, which permits the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises. The legal opening time for all liquor establishments in Chicago is 7 am, Monday through Saturday, and 11 am on Sundays. Restaurants (or Tavern licensees with a Retail Food License) can begin selling liquor at 9 am on Sundays.

To sell alcohol beyond 2 am, establishments must obtain a Late Hour Liquor License. This allows them to remain open until 4 am, Monday through Saturday, and 5 am on Sundays. The process to obtain this license includes meeting certain criteria and following an application process. Applicants must first hold an incidental-consumption on-premises or tavern liquor license. They must also notify local voters and the local alderman of their application. If there are more than 50 registered voters within 500 feet of the premises, the applicant must obtain a petition signed by the majority of these voters.

The City of Chicago's website outlines the full application process and requirements for obtaining a Late Hour Liquor License. This includes information on the necessary inspections, fees, and documents required.

It is important to note that Chicago's liquor laws have undergone changes in recent years. In 2021, the city voted to permanently cut off liquor sales at midnight, affecting packaged goods sold in liquor stores. However, bars and restaurants are still able to serve alcohol late into the evening.

Bars and restaurants can serve alcohol until 4 am

Chicago has strict rules about the hours during which alcohol can be sold. In 2021, the city banned liquor sales after midnight. This ban only applies to packaged goods sold in liquor stores, and it doesn't affect bars and restaurants, which can continue to serve alcohol until 4 am.

The closing hour under a standard Consumption or Tavern liquor license is 2 am, Monday through Saturday, and 3 am on Sunday. However, bars and restaurants can obtain a Late Hour Liquor License that allows them to remain open until 4 am Monday through Saturday and 5 am on Sunday. To obtain this license, establishments must first hold an incidental-consumption-on-premises or tavern liquor license and meet certain criteria. They must also follow a specific application process, which includes notifying local voters and obtaining their consent.

The ban on liquor sales after midnight was implemented as part of Mayor Lori Lightfoot's "Chi Biz Strong" ordinance, which aimed to help businesses recover from COVID-19 losses. While some liquor store owners expressed concern about losing business to nearby suburbs with later cut-off times, bar owners believed the ordinance could bring them more customers. The ordinance also included other initiatives such as financial and debt relief for businesses, a cap on fees charged by third-party delivery services, and increased wage theft protections.

Liquor stores must obtain an extended hours permit to sell after 1 am on weekdays

Liquor stores in Chicago have had to adjust to a new city ordinance that ended alcohol sales beyond midnight. This means that liquor stores must obtain an extended hours permit to sell after 1 am on weekdays. This is a significant change from the previous laws, which allowed stores to sell alcohol until 2 am or 3 am. The new ordinance was implemented by Mayor Lori Lightfoot as a means to curb crime and prevent loitering outside stores.

The process for obtaining an extended hours permit can be found on the City of Chicago's website. To obtain a Late Hour Liquor License, applicants must first hold an incidental-consumption on-premises or tavern liquor license. If there are 50 or more legal voters residing within 500 feet of the licensed premises, the applicant must send written notice to all registered voters within that area. The applicant must also submit an affidavit stating that the local voters have been notified and that written notice has been provided to the local alderman. A sign notifying the public of the Late Hour Liquor License application must also be posted in a conspicuous place.

If there are more than 50 registered voters within 500 feet of the premises, the applicant must obtain and file a petition signed by a majority of the legal voters in the affected area, giving consent for the business to file for a Late Hour Liquor License. The license application must be submitted within 60 days of the date the petition was signed by the first legal voter. With a Late Hour Liquor License, establishments are permitted to remain open until 4 am Monday through Saturday and 5 am on Sunday.

The new ordinance has sparked mixed reactions from business owners and locals. Some liquor store owners worry about an uneven playing field, as customers can simply cross city boundaries to shop in areas where late-night sales are still allowed. On the other hand, bar owners believe the ordinance could give them more business, as patrons will no longer have the option to buy alcohol from stores and consume it at home. The ordinance is part of Mayor Lightfoot's "Chi Biz Strong" initiative, which aims to help businesses recover from COVID-19 losses while addressing quality-of-life issues related to late-night liquor sales.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot's Chi Biz Strong ordinance was designed to help businesses recover from COVID-19 losses

In Chicago, you can buy beer until midnight, following a new ordinance by Mayor Lori Lightfoot. The ordinance is part of her Chi Biz Strong initiative, which was designed to help businesses recover from COVID-19 losses.

The Chi Biz Strong initiative is a package of ordinances introduced to provide financial relief to businesses, cut red tape, and deliver new protections for workers and consumers. Mayor Lightfoot stated that the city's focus must shift from survival to recovery as the pandemic nears its end. To that end, the Chi Biz Strong initiative includes a series of measures to support businesses and workers.

One key component of the initiative is the Licensee Relief Program, which provides over $10 million in targeted grants to businesses that have been severely impacted by the pandemic. Additionally, the initiative includes a Cap on Third-Party Delivery Fees, extending the 15% cap on fees that third-party delivery companies can charge restaurants until the city recovers from the pandemic. This measure was designed to address the concerns of local restaurant and bar owners who were facing high delivery fees on top of indoor dining bans.

The Debt Relief Program is another important aspect of the Chi Biz Strong initiative. This program allows businesses with city debt to enter into discounted payment plans, enabling them to renew their licenses and continue operations. Mayor Lightfoot's administration also implemented regulatory changes to make it easier for businesses to operate during the pandemic, such as creating the Expanded Outdoor Dining Program and legalizing cocktails-to-go.

The Chi Biz Strong initiative also includes an overhaul of city processes to reduce red tape. This includes expediting restaurant licensing, allowing new restaurants in previously closed spaces to benefit from a faster license issuance process. Additionally, the initiative legalizes sidewalk signs for street-front retail businesses, enabling them to advertise safely and effectively. The permit process for signs, awnings, and other business infrastructure will also be expedited, reducing the waiting time by one to two months.

Liquor stores near Chicago's boundaries may lose customers to suburbs with later cut-off times

Chicago has strict liquor laws compared to other major cities in the US. The city has banned liquor sales after midnight, with bars and restaurants still able to serve alcohol late into the evening. This is a notable change from the previous closing time of 2 am, Monday through Saturday, and 3 am on Sundays.

The new curfew is part of Mayor Lori Lightfoot's "Chi Biz Strong" ordinance, which was designed to help businesses recover from COVID-19 losses. Initially, the ordinance set the liquor sales cutoff at 10 pm, but this was pushed back to midnight after receiving pushback from aldermen, locals, and business owners. The midnight cut-off point matches that of New York and Washington, D.C., while other cities like LA, San Francisco, and Seattle allow liquor stores to sell until 2 am.

Some liquor store owners in Chicago worry about losing customers to nearby suburbs with later cut-off times. For example, Oak Park and Berwyn's laws permit sales until 1 am, and in Berwyn, it's until 3 am on Fridays and Saturdays. Liquor stores near Chicago's boundaries may lose customers to these suburbs, as people will be able to shop for alcohol later at night.

The impact of the new ordinance on Chicago's liquor stores remains to be seen, but it is clear that the city's late-night drinking landscape has changed significantly. While some may choose to go to bars or restaurants for late-night drinks, others may opt to cross city boundaries to take advantage of later cut-off times in the suburbs.

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