AUSTIN (KXAN) — New Year’s weekend will be dry for some Texans, as state law will shutter liquor stores from Saturday night through Tuesday morning.
The Texas Liquor Control Act, mandates that no liquor stores are to be open on Sundays or major holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Day.
With the start of the new year falling on a Monday, stores will be closed for 61 hours once stores close up shop at 9 p.m. Saturday and won’t reopen until 10 a.m. Tuesday.
“I’m glad I’m here today to buy it. New Year’s must be a big day for people to buy liquor, that’s not a great day to be closed,” Arun Chatterje said.
Chatterje was shopping at an Austin liquor store Thursday evening, and said news of the long closure this coming weekend was a surprise.
He said it should be up to business owners to decide whether or not to be open on special days like New Year’s Day.
“The liquor store owner wants to be open? That’s great. They’d rather stay at home and sleep? That’s great, too,” Chatterje said.
Back in 2021, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill into law that permits the sale of beer and wine on Sunday mornings, but the hard stuff must stay on the shelves.
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