Detroit After Dark: Melody Baetens

Category: Beer News

Bill to allow late-night and Sunday liquor sales is a good idea for Michigan

I was excited to read this article in The Detroit News this week about the state entertaining the passing of a law that would allow bars and retailers to sell alcohol until 4 a.m., and to allow Sunday morning alcohol sales. As a bar owner -- I'm a partner at Small's Bar in Hamtramck -- as someone who writes about bars, and as someone who was born and bred in Michigan, I find this to be a fantastic idea for multiple reasons.

First, it could generate $13 million-$14 million annually to the Michigan Futures Fund, which helps local police and fire services, something that is needed in many neighborhoods (I know it's needed in mine).

From a business standpoint, the more hours you have to serve your customers, the more money you can make. I'm not just talking about the owners, either.

Bartenders and servers who can work until 4 a.m. or before noon on Sunday will inevitably make more in tips. Being open later also could make it possible for bars and nightclubs to hire more live entertainment, which would mean more money and more jobs for entertainers. (Full disclosure: I'm also a musician.)

If this law passes, an establishment can, if they so choose, purchase a $1,500 a year permit that would allow them to extend sales to 4 a.m. and begin sales at 7 a.m. on Sundays.

According to The Detroit News article once the law passes both the house and the senate, the permits must be approved by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission and local governments. That means bars or restaurants that have had violations in the past may have difficulty getting a permit to extend sales.

In my opinion, the law should go even further to allow liquor sales on Christmas Eve night and Christmas Day. Currently, it is illegal to sell alcohol from 9 p.m. Dec. 24 until 7 a.m. Dec. 26 (unless Dec. 26 is a Sunday, then it's noon). No other holiday has a booze restriction, and not everyone celebrates Christmas. I believe the current law is outdated.

However, the biggest argument against this new law is from people concerned the extended sales hours will increase incidents of drunken driving. While I don't think this "con" should be taken lightly, I do think the law's benefits are great enough to give it a try.

But one can't assume that people who stay at a bar until 4 a .m. will get drunk. Consider other workers in the service industry or those on the midnight shift. They may get off work at 1 a.m. and want to get a drink. Not everyone keeps 9-5 hours.

Because we haven't experienced this in Michigan yet, we really can't say what will happen. Many other cities, such as New York, which allow alcohol sales until 4 a.m. have greater access to public transportation.

Drunken driving is still illegal, however, and so is serving an intoxicated person.

People who are careless enough to drive drunk are going to do so regardless if last call is at 4 p.m. or 4 a.m.