Yup, that's what I'm talking about right there. Blue laws are vestiges of New England's Puritan heritage that put all sorts of weird controls on things like liquor, gambling, and most especially, Sabbath-breaking. They apppear all over the US. For instance, there are not a lot of places you can walk around with open bottles of alcohol not inside some sort of package, which is why corner shops often sell beer in individual paper bags for concealed public consumption.
US laws about alcohol are generally insane, and very confusing between states. Viz: In New York, liquor stores may sell only wines and spirits. They may not sell beer, nor mixers for liquor, nor delicious salty snack foods to consume with wine and spirits. Beer may only be bought in grocery stores. Categorized with beer are other light grain beverages, such as Zima and many of the commercial "coolers." But across the river in New Jersey, liquor stores sell beer, wine, and spirits, as well as mixers and snacks. However, in some counties, only beer and wine may be sold on Sundays, so the section of the shop with spirits is gated off one day a week.
Bergen County, NJ, where I work, is carpeted with shopping malls, none of which are open on Sundays, though malls in neighboring counties thrive all weekend. It seems especially punitive to the towns that have large Jewish communities, many of whom won't do business on their own sabbath. Happy weekend, suckers.
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zvi and
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Date: 2008-09-01 04:34 pm (UTC)US laws about alcohol are generally insane, and very confusing between states. Viz: In New York, liquor stores may sell only wines and spirits. They may not sell beer, nor mixers for liquor, nor delicious salty snack foods to consume with wine and spirits. Beer may only be bought in grocery stores. Categorized with beer are other light grain beverages, such as Zima and many of the commercial "coolers." But across the river in New Jersey, liquor stores sell beer, wine, and spirits, as well as mixers and snacks. However, in some counties, only beer and wine may be sold on Sundays, so the section of the shop with spirits is gated off one day a week.
Bergen County, NJ, where I work, is carpeted with shopping malls, none of which are open on Sundays, though malls in neighboring counties thrive all weekend. It seems especially punitive to the towns that have large Jewish communities, many of whom won't do business on their own sabbath. Happy weekend, suckers.