Asheville City Council on Tuesday night gave local businesses the freedom to sell alcohol before noon Sundays. On June 29, the North Carolina General Assembly enacted Senate Bill 155 . . . with Gov. Roy Cooper signing the bill into law the following day.
Cooper relaxed laws governing distilleries, breweries, restaurants and bottle shops . . . nearly any businesses involved in alcohol sales. New laws allow bottle shops to fill growlers from wine or beer taps. They also allow distilleries to sample liquor in approved places and increase direct-to-customer sales. Farms in otherwise dry counties can brew beer with local approval.
The most famous provision of the bill, however, is the one that earned it its nickname: the "Brunch Bill." That's because the bill gives local governments the power to decide whether bars, stores, breweries and restaurants can sell alcohol before noon on Sundays.
On Tuesday night, Asheville City Council did just that . . . voting for an amendment to Chapter 11 of the City’s Code of Ordinances. Now, alcohol sales are permitted at 10 a.m. on Sundays.
Local businesses are already planning changes.