The Listowel LCBO may soon be open on Sundays.
It’s odd that it isn’t already.
As it stands, the issue is under “active consideration,” said Steve Erwin, spokesman for the LCBO. “Hopefully something will be announced shortly.”
Most retail locations, including many other LCBO stores in the region, have been opening their doors to consumers on Sundays for some time. Right or wrong, doing business on a Sunday has become a widely accepted practice.
Since it’s reasonable to assume that we will never again see the day when everything is closed on Sundays, let’s look at the good which can come out of this.
The local LCBO and its staff are an important part of the business community. But the store’s small size, inconvenient location and Sunday closures impede its success.
Opening on Sundays will likely increase the store’s revenue, putting it in a much better position to consider relocation and expansion.
Plenty of North Perth residents have found themselves shoulder-to-shoulder with other customers inside the local store, or bumper-to-bumper outside in the parking lot, while trying to purchase refreshments for the typically busy holidays or long weekends.
If the store is open on Sundays, this consumer traffic will hopefully increase, but possibly spread itself out so Fridays and Saturdays will be less congested.
The LCBO brought the possibility of Sunday hours before council about eight or 10 years ago. At that time, the municipality had the authority to grant or deny the request. The request was refused, due in part to some citizens’ concerns over retail operations on a Sunday.
Times have changed, and it’s no longer up to the municipality.
But the LCBO contacted the municipality out of consideration anyway.
At its June 28 meeting, North Perth council supported a resolution stating it had no objections to Sunday hours of business at the LCBO.
“The intent is to try and have people remain in the community to shop,” said Mayor Ed Hollinger. He added it’s good for the local economy and it’s another service offered to local people. It will help keep them from driving the 15 or so kilometres outside of town to purchase alcoholic beverages.
That’s exactly what’s happening, according to Erwin.
“There seems to be some pent-up demand for it,” he said of the Sunday hours, adding there is traffic headed out of town on Sundays to shop at other LCBOs, such as the one in Palmerston.
If those shoppers purchase their alcohol locally, they might just pick up a few other items from local merchants while they’re out and about.
These days, we can buy our gasoline, groceries, clothes and plenty of other items at a variety of stores on a Sunday.
“Sometimes it most convenient for people to shop on Sunday,” said Erwin.
— S.B.