Last updated on May 3rd, 2018
In April, the Tennessee General Assembly passed, and Gov. Bill Haslam signed, legislation that will allow retail food stores to sell wine on Sundays. The new law, which was sponsored by Sen. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) and Rep. Gerald McCormick (R-Chattanooga), paves the way for Sunday wine sales in grocery stores beginning in January 2019.
When Tennessee opened the door to wine in grocery stores in 2016, it tied the hours during which wine could be sold to the hours that liquor stores in the state are allowed to be open. Tennessee had prohibited liquor store sales on Sundays and five holidays throughout the year, but under the new law liquor stores are allowed to open on Sundays between 10 a.m.-11 p.m., starting immediately. The only days liquor stores must be closed—and during which retail food store wine sales will be prohibited—are Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.
Rob Ikard, president of the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association (TGCSA), which led the “7-Day Sales” effort, praised the General Assembly’s decision.
“Tennesseans have enjoyed the convenience of being able to buy their wine where they buy their food,” he said. “Since Sunday is one of the busiest shopping days of the week, the passage of 7-Day Sales legislation allows them to buy wine when they buy their food as well.”
Ikard thanked the members of TGCSA for keeping the pressure on the state’s lawmakers and encouraging them to vote in favor of consumer convenience. The association has worked long and hard on the passage of this bill.
The initial law to allow retail food stores to sell wine took effect on July 1, 2016, a Friday.
“Sales of wine were tremendous that day and the next day,” Ikard told The Shelby Report. “Then on Sunday, July 3, wine sales stopped. And they weren’t allowed on the next day, July 4, because Independence Day was one of five holidays throughout the year that wine sales were prohibited. You could say the effort to allow for Sunday and holiday sales started then.”
But TGCSA’s efforts to allow Sunday sales began in earnest in last year, Ikard said, when it filed legislation. The association put together a coalition of its members, plus Walmart, which funded their “extraordinary lobbying effort.”
Altogether, that effort took two years to bear fruit, but Ikard says TGCSA’s members are pleased that come January, “they will not have to disappoint their wine buying customers on Sundays and holidays anymore.”
TGCSA Convention & Expo taking place June 6-7
Nearly 200 companies displaying their products and services to grocery and c-store representatives from across Tennessee and neighboring states will be on hand at TGCSA’s annual convention, taking place this year at the Chattanooga Convention Center June 6-7. Retail attendees will include large chain retailers as well as independent store owners.
TGCSA is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and Ikard says attendees can look forward to “a grand celebration of our storied heritage.”
This year’s keynote speaker is Darrell Waltrip, a three-time NASCAR Winston Cup Champion and a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. He now appears as a NASCAR commentator on Fox Television. Other speakers will include Glenn R. Alred of Kroger and Greg Ferrara, SVP of government relations and public affairs for the National Grocers Association. Alred is an expert on organized retail crime. During his session, Alred will be accompanied a professional shoplifter who has stolen more than $100,000 worth of merchandise as he teaches attendees how to fight retail crime. Ferrara, NGA’s chief lobbyist, will update attendees on what’s happening in D.C. and how it could impact their businesses.
Registration for the event is available here.
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