Houston Beer Buyers: Know Your Shopping Hours

In Houston, Texas, the sale of beer and wine is governed by the Alcoholic Beverage Code. A bill amending this code was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in May 2021, allowing Texans to buy beer and wine earlier on Sundays. Under House Bill 1518, which took effect on September 1, 2021, retailers such as grocery and convenience stores are permitted to sell beer and wine starting at 10 a.m. on Sundays, instead of having to wait until noon.

Beer and wine can be purchased from 10 am on Sundays

If you're planning to buy beer or wine in Houston, it's important to know the local regulations around alcohol sales. While the specific rules may vary depending on the type of establishment and the day of the week, here's what you need to know about purchasing beer and wine on Sundays:

In Houston, Texas, you can now purchase beer and wine starting at 10 am on Sundays. This change in the law came into effect on September 1, 2021, thanks to House Bill 1518, which was signed by Governor Greg Abbott in May of that year. The bill included an amendment to the Alcoholic Beverage Code, loosening the previous restrictions on Sunday morning alcohol sales.

This new legislation applies specifically to retailers like grocery stores and convenience stores. Prior to this change, alcohol sales on Sundays were not permitted to start until noon. Now, with the updated law, you can conveniently purchase beer and wine from these retailers as early as 10 am on Sundays.

It's important to note that this amendment does not apply to liquor sales. The sale of liquor in stores is still prohibited on Sundays. On other days of the week, liquor can be sold from 10 am to 9 pm, except on Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, and New Year's Day.

The expansion of alcohol sales hours on Sundays is a welcome change for many Texans, allowing for earlier access to beer and wine for Sunday brunch or other occasions. However, it's always important to consume alcohol responsibly and to be aware of any local laws and regulations that may apply.

In addition to the change in Sunday sales, the amendment also grants hotel bars the ability to serve alcohol to registered guests at any time, further enhancing the convenience and accessibility of alcohol in the state of Texas.

Alcohol sales are prohibited on Christmas Day, Thanksgiving and New Year's Day

In Houston, Texas, alcohol sales are prohibited on Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, and New Year's Day. This means that if you want to buy alcohol on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve, you'll need to stock up in advance as there will be a rush at liquor stores.

Texas state law prohibits the sale, offer for sale, or delivery of any liquor on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, or Sundays. If Christmas Day or New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, then liquor sales are also banned on the following Monday. This law was created in 1935 after the end of Prohibition, with Christmas Day added to the ban in 1967, and Thanksgiving and New Year's Day added in 1979.

The law applies to all alcohol sales, including beer, wine, and liquor. On-premise license holders, such as bars and restaurants, are also prohibited from selling alcohol on these days. However, hotel bars can serve alcohol to registered guests at all hours.

It's important to note that Texas is not the only state with such restrictions. Many states maintain Prohibition-era laws that ban alcohol sales on Sundays and certain holidays, particularly New Year's Day and major Christian holidays. For example, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia all have some form of restrictions on holiday alcohol sales.

Grocery and convenience stores can sell beer and wine until midnight, Monday to Friday

If you're looking to buy beer or wine in Houston, the following regulations apply to grocery and convenience stores:

Beer and wine can be sold from 7 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday. This means that if you're looking to purchase alcohol during the week, you'll need to do so before midnight.

On Saturdays, the hours are extended, and sales are permitted from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Sunday morning. So, if you're planning a party or just stocking up for the weekend, you have a bit more flexibility.

Additionally, as of September 2021, a new bill, HB 1518, was passed, allowing retailers to sell beer and wine starting at 10 a.m. on Sundays instead of having to wait until noon. This change was implemented by Gov. Greg Abbott, who signed the bill in May/June 2021. So, on Sundays, you can purchase beer and wine from 10 a.m. until midnight.

It's important to note that these laws apply specifically to grocery and convenience stores and that different regulations may apply to other types of establishments, such as bars and restaurants, and liquor stores. Additionally, these laws apply to the state of Texas, of which Houston is a part, and there may be local variations.

Liquor sales are prohibited in stores on Sundays

In Texas, liquor sales are prohibited in stores on Sundays. This is due to a law that was passed in 1935, known as the Texas Liquor Control Act, which was enacted in response to the repeal of Prohibition. While other "blue laws" have been abolished over time, the prohibition of liquor sales on Sundays remains in place.

On other days of the week, liquor sales are allowed from 10 am to 9 pm, except for on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day, when liquor stores are closed.

It is important to note that the law only applies to liquor sales in stores. Texans can purchase beer and wine from grocery and convenience stores starting at 10 am on Sundays, thanks to a bill signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2021. This bill, known as HB 1518, expanded the hours for alcohol sales from 10 am to midnight on Sundays.

Before this bill was passed, alcohol sales on Sundays in Texas could not start until noon. The new law also allows hotel bars to serve alcohol to registered guests at any time, and it does not affect the hours for selling beer and wine on days other than Sunday, which remain 7 am to midnight Monday through Friday and 7 am to 1 am on Saturdays.

Hotel bars can serve alcohol to registered guests at any time

In Texas, alcohol sale timings are governed by the Alcoholic Beverage Code. While Texans can now buy beer and wine before noon on Sundays, the sale of liquor is prohibited in stores on Sundays. On other days of the week, liquor sales must end by 9 pm.

However, there is an exception to the rule for hotels. Hotel bars in Texas are allowed to serve alcohol to registered guests at any time. This means that if you are a guest at a hotel in Houston, you can purchase alcohol at the hotel bar even outside the regular hours of sale/service of alcoholic beverages.

The regular hours for alcohol sales in Texas are as follows:

• On-premise license or permit (e.g. bar or restaurant): Monday to Friday, 7 am to midnight; Saturday, 7 am to 1 am (Sunday morning); Sunday, noon to midnight (10 am to noon only with the service of food).
• Off-premise beer/wine license or permit (e.g. convenience store or grocery store): Monday to Friday, 7 am to midnight; Saturday, 7 am to 1 am (Sunday morning); Sunday, noon to midnight.
• Package/liquor store: Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 9 pm. Closed on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

So, if you're in Houston and looking to buy beer or wine outside of these hours, your best bet would be to head to a hotel bar, assuming you are a registered guest there.

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