Blue Laws? (Columbia, Charleston, Greenville: sale, Home Depot, buying)

[settlepa]

So whats the big deal, you buy it on sat. and then have it on sunday..LOL

[jamrasc]

Originally Posted by settlepa

So whats the big deal, you buy it on sat. and then have it on sunday..LOL

Exactly! Or if you live near the border of NC, just drive there.

[BuddyDog]

what's the 'rule' in Greenville city? We (ignorant visitors that we were!) tried to order a glass of wine w/ lunch downtown on Sunday and were told 'no'.

[carolinajack]

I grew up in the South under blue laws and miss them. with Blue Laws you couldnt purchase alcohol on sunday but you could consume it if you had bought it already.

[Nausikaa]

In Lexington County (Columbia). You can't buy alcohol on Sunday, but you can drink it in a restaurant.

You can buy food, gas, whatever on Sunday morning, but places like Wal-Mart don't sell merchandise until 1:30 p.m. They can sell food though. Grocery stores are all open on Sunday morning (just can't buy alcohol), have to go to restaurant. Malls opens at 1:30.

In Richland County (Columbia), you can't buy alcohol on Sunday, but can have alcohol in restaurant. Stores can sell merchandise before 1:30 p.m.

[sixinthefamily]

Okay I am dying to know about Fort Mill and this law. I have never heard of such a thing. Can anyone tell me if they have it or where to find out about it. We are moving on June 1st. Between this and the personal property tax on things such as cars it has me scared about what all I don't know.

[Nausikaa]

Originally Posted by sixinthefamily

Okay I am dying to know about Fort Mill and this law. I have never heard of such a thing. Can anyone tell me if they have it or where to find out about it. We are moving on June 1st. Between this and the personal property tax on things such as cars it has me scared about what all I don't know.

you pay the tax when you buy a tag, because it's not in your property tax. you will pay it one way or the other. just a different way. tags are only pricey on new cars, it becomes very low when they are a few years old.

i have never been in a southern state that sells alcohol on Sunday? correct me if i'm wrong.

[anonymous]

Originally Posted by settlepa

So whats the big deal, you buy it on sat. and then have it on sunday..LOL

well, it's not a big deal. but that doesn't mean that it makes sense.

if I'm going out to eat on Sunday in Sumter, and I want beer or a glass of wine, I can't order it. Why? Because it's not Christian. Well.. what if I'm not a Christian? What if I'm a Christian who thinks having a glass of wine on Sunday is O.K.? What if I want to buy a 6-pack of Natural light and go fishing on Sunday, and I forgot to on Saturday? It is definitely a P.I.T.A.

I realize that it is legal, and not unconstitutional, per se, but I do think it violates the spirit of "separation of church and state". I also think that it serves absolutely no benefit to society whatsoever.

If they are like Chik-fil-A, and they want to do it on their own, I respect that. I just don't think it makes sense for the local/state government to force establishments to observe Christian views.

[jamrasc]

Originally Posted by sixinthefamily

Okay I am dying to know about Fort Mill and this law. I have never heard of such a thing. Can anyone tell me if they have it or where to find out about it. We are moving on June 1st. Between this and the personal property tax on things such as cars it has me scared about what all I don't know.

Yes, Ft. Mill has the blue laws too, they are part of York County. As far as the car tax it isn't too bad unless you have a newer vehicle or an expensive one. And that is paid once a year, you have to re-new the sticker on your car.

[lovethecarolinas]

As some other posters have mentioned the blue laws have to do with alcohol sales and retail sales (before 1:30 on Sundays).

The blue laws are not only changed from county to county but also can be changed from city/town within a county.

So with that said (all of)...York County has temporarily suspended the blue laws for 5 years on the retail portion of the blue laws (meaning businesses do not have to wait until 1:30 on Sunday to open). Prior to the suspension the only stores that would have been open were grocery stores and stores like WalMart that also offered groceries (yet the other portions of Wal Mart such as the clothes, etc. were off limits until 1:30 on Sunday).

The Blue Laws in regard to alcohol sales in York County are a little different too. The only city within York County that does not have the Blue Law restriction for alchohol is Tega Cay, SC (for over 20 years now). Yet rather ironic...since the only location in Tega Cay that alcohol is served is at the Tega Cay Golf Course. This too will change as Tega Cay has annexed land off of Hwy 160 and Gold Hill Rd...were in the near future will be a Wal Mart, additional retail stores and of course restaurants (yet right across the street....in Fort Mill...they will still continue to be dry on Sunday).

Of course we also have the option of driving 5 minutes out of town and crossing over into Charlotte where the blue laws do not exist.