AIKEN - A BP gas station on U.S. Highway 1 in Aiken prominently displays on its marquee the words "Sunday beer sales."
But on Whiskey Road, a Lowe's home improvement store doesn't open until 1:30 p.m. Sundays because of a state blue law restricting certain morning purchases.
"We have a lot of people that drive in the parking lot, look up and go on," said Jason Sessoms, the store manager. State law forbids the sale on Sunday mornings of about 99 percent of what his store offers.
Mr. Sessoms said he believes most businesses would be happy to see the state law repealed in Aiken County, something county council members are considering.
"Any time we're not losing business to the Augusta area would be a better thing," he said.
In the city of Aiken, where Sunday alcohol sales are allowed, city officials agree it can be confusing for shoppers to find out items such as clothes, jewelry or tools can't be purchased Sunday mornings at a store such as Wal-Mart.
"It's just an almost baffling scenario at times just trying to figure out, oh, well now, if I sell you a light bulb, that's OK. Now, to sell you the lamp to put the light bulb in, I'm not so sure I can do that," said Aiken's Assistant City Manager Richard Pearce. "We're just waiting to see what county council's vote is."
Officials say the council has the authority to repeal the state law locally, to include municipalities, and it has already voted to repeal the Sunday morning restriction on an initial reading. The issue will be voted on a second time at the July 21 meeting.
The issue of alcohol sales on Sundays in the city has already been addressed. City Attorney Gary Smith said that a few years ago residents approved a referendum to allow restaurants to sell alcohol that day. The result of that vote surprised city council, he said.
The referendum was approved, but the go-ahead was interpreted by the South Carolina Department of Revenue to also include grocery and convenience stores, opening the door for all businesses to sell alcohol on Sundays within Aiken city limits.
To further confuse things, in the unincorporated areas of the county, grocery and convenience stores can't sell alcohol on Sundays, said County Administrator Clay Killian.
Mr. Killian said the council's current look at blue laws in Aiken County has no effect on its ban on Sunday alcohol sales. Some officials have said repealing the restriction on other types of purchases could help keep Aiken County from losing some sales tax dollars to its Georgia neighbors .
"We've got to look for the opportunities that are available to us, and I don't think we want to shoot ourselves in the foot, which is what we're kind of doing with the blue laws that are currently in effect," said County Councilman Chuck Smith, who recently proposed the law's repeal locally.
Reach Preston Sparks at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110 or preston.sparks@augustachronicle.com
BLUE LAWS
ITEMS NOT ALLOWED TO BE PURCHASED BEFORE 1:30 P.M. SUNDAYS: clothing and clothing accessories (except those which qualify as swimwear, novelties, souvenirs, hosiery, or undergarments); housewares, china, glassware and kitchenware; home, business and office furnishings and appliances; tools, paints, hardware, building supplies and lumber; jewelry, silverware, watches, clocks, luggage, musical instruments, recorders, recordings, radios, television sets, phonographs, record players or hi-fi or stereo sets, or equipment; sporting goods (except when sold on premises where sporting events and recreational facilities are permitted); yard or piece goods; automobiles, trucks and trailers.
THE PENALTY: a fine of not less than $50 and no more than $250 for a first offense. A fine of no less than $100 and no more than $500 for each subsequent offense.
Source: South Carolina Code of Laws
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
The photo is a great representation of how government can impede enterprise. We have men lined up wanting to go to work repairing their houses and what have you, but stymied by Blue Laws, they wait.
The blue laws represent a mentality that no one seems able to explain satisfactorily. Repealing them seems to be the intelligent thing to do. How often do we expect government to act like that?
The ol' southern Bible thumpers must be losing out to the new coporate Bible thumpers because this move demonstrates the foolishness of their previous ideology. The BP station mentioned is owned by whom? Why was that one selected to sell beer on Sundays and not others? Where are the "keep gov't out of our lives" Republicans and the "gov't shouldn't pick winners & losers" Republicans? Oh, thats only at the national level...well, this move is not a positive development for conservative values, but isn't that state's governor showing his true colors too?
FYI: ANY store in the CITY of Aiken can sell beer on Sundays.(County businesses not included) This particular BP, always has "Sunday alcohol sales" on it's sign out front. And I agree with your thoughts on "Bible Thumpers."
Don't confuse this issue with government. The "government" could care less about blue laws. This is a religious/rediculous issue only. Get RID of these stupid laws and stop insulting people's intelligence. If you don't believe in buying tools on Sunday, don't. These laws are so rediculous they could only have been passed by backroom dealmaking with corporate theocrats.
In my opinion the Blue Laws need to go. Or, let's shutdown all businesses in SC until 1:30 and cut out all the cofusion period.
Got to Walmart or others and see the baskets at the checkout registers loaded with non allowed items. People ger upset and mad (including me). Yet you can buy many non approved items at other stores that do not adhere to the laws. The laws are ignorant and need to be buried. I spend gas going to Georgia many Sundays.
The new Bobby Jones connection at Schultz Hill will get you quickly to Home Depot, Lowes, Walmarts's, etc. No waiting there. The price of the time and gas outways the labor cost you are losing waiting in SC. You could probably finish your home project(s) before they even open.
How many of you who are gripping about not being able to go shopping until 1:30pm on Sunday would even get out of bed before noon, so what's the big deal? The Blue Law was enacted (speculation on my part), not to make your life miserable but for the benefit of workers who wish to attend church and not be forced to work on Sunday mornings just so a few handful of people have the option to make a trip to the store or not. I understand that sometimes the unexpected happens but if you know the stores aren't going to open until late on Sunday then why not take care of your shopping needs on Saturday....it's all about the "me" syndrome we've all become accustomed to.
South Carolina's blue laws are nonsensical and archaic. Sometimes I like to drive across the border into South Carolina, its like going back in time.
To: InChristLove --- What do you propose to do about the people whose "holy day" is on Saturday, or Friday? Of course, you want to impose your brand of religiosity on everyone else.
I have never understood how it was equitable, rational, or sensible for a government body to select a bit of dogma from a particular religion, twist it into legislation, and then use that legislation to compel people and businesses to behave in a way that is compatible with that interpretation of religious dogma --- or face government sanction, at the point of a gun, if necessary.
As a minimum, the Blue Laws are at odds with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution; as well as Thomas Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in which he described the Establishment Clause as "...building a wall of separation between church and state." As Jefferson also said, "...religion is a matter which lies solely between man & his god." Government ought not to be injecting itself into such a "matter."
Finally, I find nothing "conservative" or "liberal" about the Blue Laws that enable unnecessary governmental meddling in personal and commercial activity.
Justass4, hate to tell you and spoil your day, but most Republicans want the blue laws done away with as unlike the DIMs, believe in enhancing businesses. BTW, those blue laws were passed when the Bible thumping southern DIMocRATS were in power way back in the 30s, 40 and ds50s.
South Carolina's blue laws are nonsensical and archaic. Sometimes I like to drive across the border into South Carolina, its like going back in time.
Posted by GuyIncognito on Mon Jul 6, 2009 9:54 AM....True, and a relief from all the current chit that goes on in A/RC every day.
I just hope North Augusta will repeal as well rather than just the city of Aiken. I am tired of leaving church at 10am when it is over for me and having to drive to Augusta to Lowes or WalMart to get my day moving rather than wait until 130. It is stupid and needs to be done away with.
To: jack RE: "...those blue laws were passed when the Bible thumping southern DIMocRATS were in power way back in the 30s, 40 and ds50s." You are wrong (but, hey, who cares about facts?). The SC Blue Laws were fist enacted in the 17th Century. So, despite your attempt to characterize it otherwise, it is not political party affiliation that has intertwined church and state via the Blue Laws, but rather the bible-thumping inclinations of those who are members of both Republi-con and Demon-rat parties, and who would dearly love to impose a theocracy on all of us. You better believe, the Aiken County Council has some Republi-con members who are committed theocrats. Those folk think it is just great to mix religious dogma with government policies. The sickening prayers that are said at the beginning of each council meeting, which are offered up to their Christian Sky Daddy, in the name of Sky Daddy's "offspring," are glaring evidence of their desire to impose their religious views on others. Both the Demon-rats and Republi-cons on the county council heartily endorse these tribal ceremonies, and have no care whatsoever for the offense they give to other citizens.
Away with the Blu Laws for North Augusta!! Lets do a march like the Harrisburg residents did. If anyone feels strongly write a letter to your mayor!
Blue Laws are outdated. Less people are going to church anyway. So repeal these antiquated laws. I'd rather buy a power tool at Lowe's than give to the churches anyway!
Lets see if I've got this straight. "Bob" can park in a lot behind a store he doesn't want to be seen at and buy a porn video at 8am on a Sunday, but he can't go to Walmart and buy the DVD player needed to watch it until 1:30pm? Somebody PLEASE explain this to me!
I really do not care one way or the other...what I do care about is the "Gubment" intruding into my everyday life.........I want to be invisible to the idiots in Washington....get out of my home ..stay away from my kids...leave my health alone...leave my money alone.....I do not need you!!!!
TO: ladyianegrey RE: "I want to be invisible to the idiots in Washington." You may not be, but I am equally concerned with the "idiots" in Columbia, SC and Aiken, SC. You say that you "do not care one way or the other," yet you do not want "gubment" intruding in citizens' lives. I cannot think of anything more intrusive than the theocratic philosophy of "gubment" that is behind the Blue Laws. So, it would seem to me to be hugely inconsistent for you to say that you "do not care" about the absence or presence of Blue Laws but, at the same time, you don't want "gubment" intrusion. That makes no sense, whatsoever.
What I find "makes no sense" is someone resorting to name calling. Why do you find it necessary to ridicule people of faith, "bible-thumping" or "Christian Sky Daddy", to make your point. As for someone being able to buy a porn video at 8am on a Sunday and not buy a DVD from Walmart until 1:30pm.....to be honest I doubt seriously if the employee at the porn video store would be interested in attending church on Sunday where as the employee at Walmart very well may. And Knave as for sickening prayers....prayer is never sickening if said with a sincere heart.
TO: InChristLove ----- Rather than getting defensive and evidencing such thin-skin, why not just answer the simple and straight-forward question that was asked in response to the justification you gave for the restrictions placed on businesses and individuals on Sundays by the Blue Laws. The question that was asked is: "What do you propose to do about the people whose 'holy day' is on Saturday, or Friday?" Without a reasonable and logical answer, the following conclusion is reinforced: "You want to impose your brand of religiosity on everyone else." RE: "...prayer is never sickening if said with a sincere heart." How can that be when Matthew 6:5 says that: "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men." This is exactly the "sincere" behavior that is in evidence at Aiken County Council Meetings, and it is sickening, particularly for those who choose not to buy into the the council members' preferred flavor of religion.
We rid ourselves of this foolishness three yeares ago. Greenville was taking our Sun sales bigtime. Govts that impose this religion based commerce on their population are no better than the oppressive govt of Iran where the masses are forced to submit to the will of a few zealots under penalty of law.
The Knave...I assure you I am anything but thin-skinned but when you mock my Lord, I have a tendency to get offended. The same as you (I would suppose) if someone spoke ill about your wife/husband, daughter/son, parents, etc... As for your simple and straight-forward question concerning other individual's "holy days", evidently it's not been an issue, or not one that I have heard discussed. Personally, the opening of stores earlier would not effect me, my priority is to my Lord first and if the need to stop by a store occurred it would have to be after 1pm anyway. My concern is for those who wish to worship on Sunday morning but because of work schedules may not get to attend.
I do not think the blue laws as we have them today have anything to do with "religion"...just interference by the Gov......If religion is your reason then simply do not buy the things that are discussed.....it's more about having some interfering gov. entity in your life than a religeous statement......get out of my life all Gov....period... how hard is that to comprehend?....
Knave, the scripture you quoted, in your opinion describes the Aiken County Council Meetings, and if so then I would not consider that a sincere prayer so your statement would be correct. I misread your statement and thought you were calling all prayer sickening. My apologies.
To: InChristLove RE: "My concern is for those who wish to worship on Sunday morning but because of work schedules may not get to attend." The essence of the original question seems to escape you, or you are intentionally avoiding it. You have expressed concern about protecting the worship opportunities for those who choose a to worship on Sunday. Where is your concern for protecting the worship opportunities for those who choose to worship on Saturday or Friday? Certainly "work schedules" on Fridays and Saturdays are typically much more firmly rooted in tradition and inflexible than are those on Sunday. So, you have made my point, again. The concern you have is for promoting your brand of religion, your chosen set of dogma and doctrine. All others can just "eat cake." Overarching all of this remain the facts that (1) Blue Laws unreasonably and unfairly restrict lawful business and human behavior: (2) Blue Laws are rooted in religious dogma (for some inexplicable reason, perhaps densely-packed cerebral cells, ladyjanegrey can't comprehend that fact); (3) Ipso facto, Blue Laws are designed to facilitate, impose and enforce the dogma of a particular religion.
Knave, if you would take the time to read my post more carefully then you would see that I am neither intentionally avoiding answering it, nor has the essence escaped me. I said "As for your simple and straight-forward question concerning other individual's "holy days", evidently it's not been an issue, or not one that I have heard discussed." If someone's "holy days" are on Friday or Saturday and it has become an issue, I have not heard any complaining about it. If that were the case then my concern for those individuals right to attend their "church" would be the same as for Sunday. I neither said I was for or against the Blue Law, only that possibly the reasoning for the law in the first place was due to people wanting to attend church on Sunday. Any by the way, never did I say other's could just "eat cake".
TO: InChristLove (1) I did "take the time to read my post more carefully;" (2) RE: "If someone's 'holy days' are on Friday or Saturday and it has become an issue, I have not heard any complaining about it." This is likely because you choose not to "hear" and/or that the "complaints" of non-mainstream-American-religionists are drowned out by the money and sound of the the mainstream-American-religionists. It is disingenuous to make believe that Jews and the Muslims,for example, as minorities, do not have greater difficulty obtaining permission to be absent from the workplace to observe the rules of their religions, than do the main-streamers. Yet, there are no laws that close down businesses and restrict citizen behavior for their benefit on their "special" days. It is quite an incongruity that you say you are only speculating about the "reasoning" for Blue Laws and that, you are not saying whether you are in favor of or against Blue Laws. Why would you not inform yourself before entering into the dialogue? Perhaps, as with jack, facts don't matter. You might learn that Blue Laws are unconstitutional because they facilitate, impose, and enforce the dogma of your chosen religion.
Geez you guys are killing me! The Blue Laws need to go. Period! If you are an avid church attender then simply tell your boss that you request every Sunday off.
It is way past time for the blue laws to go. If you don't want to work Sunday morning so you can attend church then I'm sure your boss will accommodate you. Otherwise find another job. If so many people are in church and respect this so called sabbath then these businesses won't be making any money and wouldn't be open on Sunday anyways. Face it you Christians are just hypocrites wanting to repress others who don't believe in your myths.