Sunday might be the new Naterday.
The Gainesville City Commission decided Thursday to change the city's alcohol laws that dictate what type of alcohol can be sold on Sundays and during which hours.
The changed ordinance will allow people to buy alcoholic drinks from restaurants, bars and other establishments from 7 a.m. on Sundays to 2 a.m. on Mondays. It will also allow people to buy packaged liquor from stores from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays.
This makes the city's alcohol rules the same for every day of the week.
Under the city's current alcohol restrictions, restaurants and other establishments can sell alcohol from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays. Liquor and grocery stores can not sell hard liquor at all on Sundays.
The change will go into effect after the commission votes on the item twice more, which isn't expected to happen until after the new year.
Shawn Shepherd, owner of Vellos Brickstreet Grill and president of Gainesville Downtown Owner and Tenants, said people often come into his restaurant and want to order a mimosa with their Sunday brunch. He said the change will increase his revenue by about $75,000 a year.
"For me, it's huge," he said.
Mark Barnett, owner of Gator Beverage, said his store is already open on Sundays to sell beer and wine, but it will help his business to be able to sell liquor, too.
He said customers ask every Sunday why they can't buy liquor.
"We don't have to say no anymore," Barnett said.
Auriona East, a 22-year-old UF Spanish senior, said the biggest change will be that the bars can stay open later than 11 p.m. - the current time bars and clubs have to stop serving alcohol on Sundays.
Commissioner Jeanna Mastrodicasa, who is also chair of the committee that passed the measure, said in an earlier interview that she was wasn't optimistic the change would get through the committee.
The deciding factor, she said, was that city police said extending the alcohol hours wouldn't require more police to be patrolling near bars.
She said she imagines the businesses that will benefit the most from this change are restaurants that serve a Sunday brunch or sports bars - especially on Super Bowl Sunday.
