CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s can be served on Sunday mornings in the Capital City, as Charleston City Council overwhelmingly passed the “brunch bill” at its Monday night meeting.
The bill, which passed during the 2016 Legislative Session and will be enacted upon passage under Charleston’s status as a home rule city, allows for alcohol sales on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. rather than 1 p.m.
“It’s going to help revenue, it’s going to help employees; it’s going to put a few extra dollars in everybody’s pocket,” said Councilwoman Keeley Steele, the owner of three Charleston restaurants, including Bluegrass Kitchen on the East End, which serves Sunday brunch. “Just as importantly, it’s going to allow adults to do adult things at 10 o’clock in the morning and make adult decisions.”
Steele said she didn’t agree with blue laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol on Sunday morning, a sentiment echoed by Mayor Danny Jones.
“I believe that blue laws all ought to be done away with,” the mayor said. “A blue law being a special law for Sunday; I just don’t believe in it. All laws ought to be the same on every day.”
Jones thought the measure could result in a spike in revenue for Charleston, but more importantly would help the city’s restaurants and hotels.
“I want to help the restaurants. I was in that business 25 years, I know how tough it is,” Jones said. “It will help places open early on Sunday. It will help the hotels a lot, because they have people who come in here from out-of-town that don’t understand why they can’t have a mimosa or Bloody Mary before 1 o’clock on Sunday.”
The sole vote against the passage of the brunch bill was from Ward 4 Councilman Rev. James Ealy, who said he voted so on moral grounds.
Charleston Council meets again on Monday, Aug. 15.