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WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Ken Spencer, general manager of the Fine Wine and Good Spirit Shop in Wilkes-Barre Township Marketplace, said recent legislation extending Sunday hours of state liquor stores has made his customers happy.
Thanks to the legislation, which was signed by Gov. Tom Wolf earlier this year, Spencer’s store was open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the first time on Sunday. Previously, the store opened a noon and closed at 5 p.m.
“We had people here right at 11 o’clock,” he said. “They’re usually here waiting for us to open at noon anyway.”
In addition to extended hours at the Wilkes-Barre Township store, 94 stores statewide opened for the first time on Sunday. Locally, there are now six stores open on Sundays. Locations in Nanticoke, Conyngham, Dallas, Edwardsville and Wyoming, along with the store on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre, will be open on Sundays.
Stores are also now able sell lottery tickets.
“This is our first week selling them,” Spencer said. “People are buying them.”
Scott Gallup, of Shavertown, was at the Wilkes-Barre Township store on Sunday to buy wine.
“It’s a great idea and really convenient,” he said. “Sunday is less a family day now, and it’s nice to be able to get to the liquor store at any time.”
Joann Mateyu, of Mountain Top, was also stopping at the store to buy wine for her and her husband.
“Red for him, pink for me,” she said.
Mateyu, who was in the area shopping at nearby stores, said she thought that often when people are working until 5 p.m., they don’t really want to stop on the way home.
“Some people might want to stop on Sunday to shop for the week,” she said.
Spencer said the store’s placement next to other retail outlets keeps it busy.
“People go shopping at Walmart, and then they come over here,” he said.
Spencer said he believed that other liquor stores, especially those open for the first time on Sunday and not simply expanding their hours, might need several weeks to get the word out before their business really picks up.
“This is just the start,” he said. “More stores will be added.”