Ban Lifted On Two Haddonfield Activities

HADDONFIELD, NJ — Haddonfield leaders have repealed the blue law that existed on Sunday retail sales, the borough's mayor told Patch.

"A lot of people didn't know [about the law]," Mayor Colleen Bianco Bezich told Patch. "In fact, many businesses were operating illegally under the ordinance."

The changing demographics of Haddonfield's population warranted the repeal, she said.

"If you aren't Christian, and you don't go to church on Sunday, and you're a working professional like me, who probably works 80 to 100 hours a week, when you put together my two jobs, there are only certain times I can do things," Bianco Bezich said.

The repeal also gives Haddonfield's small business owners some flexibility, according to the mayor.

"Some small business owners might be the sole employee of their shop," Bianco Bezich said. So this gives them the flexibility to take off whenever they want. If you're a business in downtown Haddonfield on a beautiful weekend, you want to be open on Sunday, because that's when you'll have the most foot traffic."

The borough also updated its borough code to allow residential yard sales to take place on Sunday, according to the mayor.

"I would think the only reason that we said no to yard sales on Sundays many moons ago has something to do with church," she said. "If you're Jewish, if you're non-Christian, if you're agnostic, if you're atheist, why are we preventing you from putting your goods out on your lawn on a Sunday?"

Allowing yard sales to take place on Sunday also allows residents to have the same opportunities businesses have, she continued.

"If we're getting rid of the restriction on retail and service businesses, we should also be telling residents that we're not restricting their ability to do what they want with their items," Bianco Bezich said.

Got a news tip? Story idea? Send me an email with the details at janel.miller@patch.com.