Aldermen Approve Restaurants Serving Alcohol on Sunday Mornings

Bloody Mary fans rejoice: Brunch in Melrose could get a little saucier.

The Melrose Board of Aldermen approved Monday night the adoption of a new state law that gives cities and towns the option to allow restaurants to serve alcoholic beverages starting at 10 a.m.

Before the law changed last year, Massachusetts restaurants couldn't serve alcohol before noon on Sundays.

Melrose restaurants that currently have a full liquor license or beer and wine license can't start serving booze on Sunday mornings right away. First, they need approval from the Melrose Liquor Licensing Commission, which holds a public hearing on any application for a liquor license in the city and any amendments to currently held licenses.

Also, the Liquor Commission would need to first amend its own rules and regulations to accommodate the new law, Melrose City Solicitor Rob Van Campen wrote in a letter to the board. The commission would also have the authority to determine what time—if at all—restaurants could start serving alcohol on Sundays.

Boost business, compete with private clubs—but necessary?

Ward 5 Alderman Gail Infurna, who along with Alderman at-Large Mary Beth McAteer Margolis co-sponsored the order to adopt the new state law, read a letter from owner Julie Crowley, who said the restaurants hosts a growing number of events on Sunday mornings, from First Communion parties to wedding receptions and baby showers. Crowley's restaurant is also open for brunch on Sundays.

"[Allowing alcohol sales before noon] will increase business, and it will also improve the customer’s time spent at Bobby C’s," Crowley said in her letter.

Infurna said that approving the local option gives the Liquor Commission "only a tool" and reiterated that there would be a public hearing on any restaurant that wanted to amend the hours it's allowed to serve alcohol.

McAteer Margolis added that "I'm not terribly well-versed in the private facilities in Melrose, but I do believe many of them are serving before noon on Sundays. I don't know (if they do) all the time, but I do think that is the case, so hopefully our public businesses can take advantage of this opportunity as well."

Ward 7 Alderman William Forbes, who voted against the order along with Alderman at-Large Jackie Lavender Bird, said that Melrose could ultimately have four or five restaurants serving alcohol before noon on what "I think most consider a family day." He added that, in going to brunch at Bobby C's, he has asked people whether the availability of alcoholic beverages before noon affects their decision to go.

"No. You go for the food, you go for the atmosphere, the hospitality," Forbes said, adding that "by the time you go through the line, you get your food, the next thing you know, it’s 10 past 12 and you can have a drink."

Memorial Day, Christmas Day singled out in new law

Ward 2 Alderman Monica Medeiros noted that the new law specifically singles out Memorial Day and Christmas Day as holidays when restaurants can serve alcohol before noon.

"The last Monday in May, that’s a day of remembrance, a solemn day to remember our service men and women who have died in the service of our country—not so much a day for celebration," Medeiros said. "So this particular part of this ordinance change, the adopting of this Mass. General Law, is the part I find a little bit offensive, but I have a feeling not so offensive as to not pass this, but yet offensive enough that I’d like to ask our restaurants who do apply for this to keep that in mind they have an option of their own (to choose to not serve on that day)."

On the topic of singling out Christmas Day and Memorial Day in the new law, Alderman at-Large Don Conn—a frequent critic of the state Legislature—said, "It seems to me that no statute can ever be passed in Massachusetts without the General Court inserting something either objectionable, silly or stupid into the statute."