New liquor law may boost sales

TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Now that this southern Idaho city has approved the sale of liquor-by-the-drink on Sundays, some bar and restaurant owners are looking forward to the money they believe is about to start rolling in.

"I know it's going to be busy," said JoJo Anderson, a waitress at the nightclub The Pocket. "You know Twin Falls city is going to make the big bucks by selling liquor on Sundays."

The City Council voted to approve sales of liquor-by-the-drink earlier this month, based on the argument that the alcohol in beer, wine or liquor is equally intoxicating. Many bar owners maintain that they weren't pushing to lift the ban for financial reasons — they wanted their customers to have more choice.

Nonetheless, after two weeks of the new law, some bar owners say they're seeing their Sunday sales pick up.

At the Pressbox Sports Bar, bartenders said they served liquor to two of every five customers on Dec. 10, the first Sunday that liquor-by-the-drink could be served. Bartender George Salinas said he received nearly a dozen phone calls from people who said they were coming because they could drink liquor there.

"I expect it's going to get slammed on Sundays," Salinas said.

At the Pocket, Anderson said the number of people at the bar was more than double what it normally was on a Sunday.

And some city officials say tax revenues could go up as well: The beer and wine that bars could sell on Sundays before the new law aren't taxed by the city. Liquor is.

But those who get the biggest boost may be franchise restaurants in the city, such as Outback Steakhouse and Applebee's. While local bar customers are often regulars, restaurants cater to tourists and families, and serve meals that people prefer with hard liquor, restaurant owners say.

"For local bar business it's not going to matter. It's the restaurant franchises that will benefit the most," said Outback Steakhouse manager and owner Casey Grime. "Part of the dining experience is the ability to have spirits with their meal, and now they will be able to have those spirits."