Brunch bill brings booze, business to Sunday mornings

Booze with brunch is proving fruitful for businesses now serving earlier on Sundays thanks to the "Brunch Bill."

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"It's taken off like wildfire," said Travis Day, General Manager of Pizza La Stella on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh. "Starting to see a big trend in foot traffic."

Frank Bloom, Director of Marketing and Events with Hibernian echoed the same success.

"We've seen an uptick in earlier sales on Sundays which is a positive since Sundays during the summer are traditionally a little slower," Bloom said. "We are looking forward to the upcoming season when we see more traffic once schools are back in and vacations are over, and earlier sales can coincide with our Sunday morning soccer and rugby broadcasts."

On Monday, Wake County Commissioners added to the list of businesses hoping to see the same boost. Commissioners voted to approve alcohol sales at 10 a.m. on Sundays at the RDU Airport and in unincorporated areas of the county.

Wake County Commissioner James West forced the need for a second reading Monday after voting against the measure last month.

West voted against it again, but offered no explanation. County Commissioners passed the plan with a majority vote.

Also Monday night, in the first action taken in its new chambers, the Garner council approved the Brunch Bill ordinance, thus allowing Sunday morning alcohol sales in that Wake County town.

DURHAM, DURHAM COUNTY ALSO PASS IT

Separately, Durham County Commissioners approved their own version of the so-called Brunch Bill that allows restaurants to serve drinks and retailers to sell alcohol two hours earlier.

Also in Durham, the city council unanimously passed the Brunch Bill on Monday evening.

A state law went into effect on July 1, 2017, allowing alcohol sales at 10 a.m. instead of noon, but individual counties and municipalities need to pass their own ordinance.