Blue Laws Change Allows Monday Liquor Sales

will be open on Monday, the day after Christmas, operating as "business as usual." But until this past Tuesday, liquor stores in Massachusetts were technically not going to be able to open the day after Christmas, according to a provision in the "blue laws" that had not been changed.

Gov. Deval Patrick signed a bill that would allow package stores in Massachusetts to open on the day after Christmas, as the Boston Herald reported. Under previous state law, reported the Herald, "when Christmas falls on a Sunday—as it does this year—liquor stores must also remain closed on the Monday after the holiday."

Ryan Maloney, owner of Julio’s Liquors, said he wasn't concerned. “We planned for it,” said Maloney. “I fully expected it would get passed.”

Maloney said his store will be open on Monday, Dec. 26 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., as it will be on Monday, Jan. 2. In addition, he said that the store will open early on Christmas Eve. “We’re calling it ‘Procrastinators Rejoice: Julio’s Has You Covered.’”

He said that he will also open on New Year’s Day. “We’ll be open from noon to 6 p.m., and we have something special going on. Tell your readers to check our website at juliosliquors.com at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve to find out what it is.”

Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, said to State House News, “This is one of the quirks in the Blue Laws we never fixed," as the Boston Business Journal reported.

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