The Dusty Armadillo, Chuggers Bar & Grille and Haylett & Sons Corner Store in Portage County may be able to sell liquor on Sundays.                         

The three businesses are on the Nov. 4 ballot and have applied for a D-6 permit that would allow the sale of wine (also including hard cider), spirituous liquor and mixed beverages on Sundays between 10 a.m. and midnight.

Originally, D-6 permits only allowed Sunday liquor sales after 1 p.m. In 2009, the Ohio Restaurant Association lobbied Ohio lawmakers to change the time to 11 a.m. to help boost business.

All businesses that are granted a D-6 permit can sell liquor on Sundays.

In Ohio, beer can be sold on Sundays as long as the business already has a license to sell beer during the week or if it’s original license was submitted on or before April 15, 1982, said the Division of Liquor Control Superintendent Bruce Stevenson in a press release.

Thirty-eight states, including Ohio, allow Sunday liquor sales according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. Ohio was one of 16 states to discard Sunday sales restrictions, also known as Blue Laws, in 2002. In Ohio, voters of a certain municipality have to approve all liquor licenses and determine if a locality is “wet” and can sell alcohol or “dry” and cannot sell any alcohol.

Portage County is currently a wet county, and 126 businesses have already been issued a Sunday liquor sale licenses.

Issue 52 – The Dusty Armadillo

The country bar and line dancing venue, The Dusty Armadillo, located on State Route 44 in Rootstown, is requesting a D-6 permit to allow the Sunday sale of liquor between 11 a.m. and midnight.

Owner Shawn Martz said the business is applying for the permit because they have a lot of acts that perform at the bar that could easily stay on Saturday and perform again on Sunday. Having the Sunday liquor license would offer the same concert experience.

If passed, this issue would allow the bar and restaurant, including patios, to sell liquor at these set Sunday times. Martz said having the Sunday liquor license would dramatically affect their business.

“We would be able to do 6 to 7 more concerts a year,” Martz said.

• A “yes” vote on this issue means liquor sales from 11 a.m. to midnight on Sundays at the Dusty Armadillo.

• A “no” vote on this issue means no liquor sales on Sundays at the Dusty Armadillo.

Issue 38 – Chuggers Bar & Grille

Chuggers Bar & Grille located on Market Square Drive in Streetsboro is requesting a D-6 permit to allow the Sunday sale of liquor between 12 p.m. and midnight.

“People want liquor on Sundays,” owner Kristy Wanyek said.

The levy is the restaurant’s second attempt at a Sunday liquor license due to paperwork mistakes on its last request in August of 2013, Wanyek said. If passed, this issue would allow the restaurant to sell liquor during these set Sunday times.

Wanyek said that sales would probably go up on Sundays if the business acquires the permit.

• A “yes” vote on this issue means liquor sales from 12 p.m. to midnight on Sundays at Chuggers Bar & Grille.

• A “no” vote on this issue means no liquor on Sundays at Chuggers Bar & Grille.

Issue 50 – Haylett & Sons Corner Store

Haylett & Sons Corner Store located on State Route 82 in Mantua is requesting a D-6 permit to allow the Sunday sale of liquor between 10 a.m. and midnight. The business already possesses a Sunday license to sell beer.

Owner Shawn Haylett said the business is requesting a Sunday liquor license for three different reasons.

“It’s, one, for fairness in competition because all the surrounding business like Marc’s have it currently and in our Mantua Township area.” Haylett said. “Two, for sales reasons and three, the increase in cider sales. Ciders and lagers are still classified as a wine so it’s very hard to compete.”

If passed, this issue would allow the first-floor of the grocery store to sell liquor at these set Sunday times.

The license would also allow the store to compete with other businesses and not turn away customers on Sundays, Haylett said.

• A “yes” vote on this issue means liquor sales from 10 a.m. to midnight on Sundays at Haylett & Sons Corner Store.

• A “no” vote on this issue means no liquor sales on Sundays at Haylett & Sons Corner Store.

Contact Carley Hull at [email protected].