Florence City Council’s support sought for referendum backing Sunday alcohol sales

By Kevin Smetana
SCNOW.COM Multimedia Journalist
Published: July 12, 2008

Members of two organizations will appear before the Florence City Council in hopes that some Sunday alcohol sales eventually will be allowed within city limits.

Representatives from the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce as well as the Hospitality Association of South Carolina will ask council members at Monday’s meeting for support for a referendum for the November ballot to allow licensed restaurants to sell alcohol on Sundays.

If alcohol was able to be sold on Sundays, restaurant sales in Florence would increase about $650,000 a month and the total economic impact of the city could increase by $4.5 million a month, according to the Hospitality Association of South Carolina.

The majority of restaurants in other areas in the state that have approved Sunday alcohol sales have seen an increase in sales, with less than 15 percent coming from alcohol, according to the association.

“Food sales increase the most,” the association wrote in a a letter to Florence Mayor Frank Willis and council members. “The ability to sell alcohol generates new customers who typically went somewhere else before the referendum was passed, or did not eat out at all on Sunday.”

Sunday alcohol sales are prohibited by state law, except in areas where a referendum has passed, Florence City Manager David Williams said.

Williams said this is the first time he is aware of advocates pushing for a referendum, but he said it’s no surprise with the amount of travelers who drive through the area on Interstates 95 and 20.

“There is a perception that it increases business when you compare our community with other communities that may already be doing Sunday alcohol sales,” Williams said.

In a letter to Willis and the council members, the chamber wrote that Rock Hill, Lexington and Santee recently accepted similar legislation.

“It is clear that business and revenue are being lost due to the current prohibition,” the letter states. “The chamber is the spokesperson for business in Florence and our board of directors was unanimous in passing the motion that will take the steps necessary to get this important measure on the ballot in November.”

In order for a referendum to go on the ballot, council members would have to authorize it by ordinance, Williams said.

Authorization could be voted on formally or city staff could put together a formal ordinance, he said.