Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Kootenai County approves sales of liquor on Sundays

Brad Schmidt Staff writer

Kootenai County on Tuesday became the second district in North Idaho and the seventh in the state to allow Sunday liquor sales. The decision came in a matter of seconds, as the county’s three commissioners quickly approved the resolution and other agenda items in a redundant “Yes, Aye, Yes” fashion.

The resolution will go into effect this week, meaning Kootenai County residents may get their first crack at new liquor store hours on Sunday. The Bayview, Harrison, Rathdrum, Spirit Lake and Worley locations now have the option to sell distilled spirits seven days a week.

Idaho is the latest state to subscribe to the growing trend that now has about 30 states permitting Sunday sales. Kootenai County Commissioner Rick Currie noted that citizens can already buy beer, wine and liquor by the drink on Sundays, and that the resolution is the next progression.

“It’s not that it’s a good idea,” Currie said after Tuesday’s commission meeting. ” … It’s that the state approved it.”

The Idaho Legislature passed a bill earlier this year that gave counties the option to permit Sunday sales, and the law took effect July 1. Either the county commission or the public must propose a change to local standards before Sunday sales can occur. Benewah County adopted the resolution last month, joining a list that includes Southern Idaho’s Blaine, Boise, Camas, Gooding and Valley counties.

About two-thirds of the state’s liquor stores could have the option to stay open on Sundays, said Ken Winkler, chief financial officer for the Idaho State Liquor Dispensary. Without more funding, however, there’s no way Idaho’s 52 state-run stores could do so, he said.

At least three private-contract stores kept their doors open on Independence Day, Winkler said. A state-run business in McCall also stayed open as a tester store, and Winkler said it made a killing. On a typical day, the McCall store has about $3,800 in sales. On July 4, he said, the store brought in $5,400.

Currie said he heard the law change could mean up to $1 million more in annual state liquor sales. Not only will that be a boon to small rural stores, he said, but it will also help the community – portions of alcohol revenues go to counties.

Washington’s state liquor stores remain closed on Sundays.

In Oregon, where Sunday liquor sales have been permitted since 2002, sales have been on the rise. Oregon Liquor Control Commission spokesman Ken Palke said the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States estimates annual sales have increased by 5 percent, or $12 milllion, since the state began allowing Sunday purchases. Palke said he thinks the estimate is high, but couldn’t disprove it because the OLCC doesn’t keep track of sales by the day of the week. Palke added that only about a quarter of Oregon’s 239 liquor stores choose to stay open on Sundays.

“They might have a shift in sales from Saturday to Sunday,” he said. “It may not pencil out for them for budget reasons.”

As in Oregon, the change in Idaho law doesn’t require businesses to stay open on Sunday – it just makes it an option. The Idaho State Liquor Dispensary still expects to hear from more of the 37 remaining counties that can permit Sunday sales.

It was expected that Bonner County would embrace the change at a meeting last month, but the decision was pushed back to allow for public comment, Commissioner Brian Orr said.

“We had some public requests that we take a harder look at it,” said Orr, whose district includes the three liquor stores where Sunday sales would be permitted. ” … At this point I support the idea, but I’m certainly open to listening to comments.”