Sunday Liquor Store Sales Debut

Foot traffic and sales were deemed "medium" at Kensington's county-owned liquor store on the opening of Sunday sales.

Up against competition from an afternoon Washington Redskin football game and pre-holiday shopping,  first-ever Sunday receipts averaged just under $1,000 an hour, according to store manager Linda Tran. 

"We did just under $6,000; it was worth being open," Tran said Monday morning after all the Kensington store sales numbers were tabulated. "I was surprised with the sales."

The initial Sunday sale numbers might appear "spiked" in comparison to Sundays during the rest of the trial period because of Thanksgiving. Sales of alcohol the weekend before Thanksgiving are usually higher. Tran said that additional sales probably took place this Sunday due to the upcoming holiday week.

"We did what we did because of the holiday," Tran said. "I don't think we'd do that well if Thanksgiving was this week."

While customers purchased white wine and cold six packs of beer Sunday afternoon, Ade Williams was the clerk behind the Kensington Wine and Liquor counter. Williams mentioned that he'd seen the store busier.

"It hasn't been too busy; it has been kind of slow," Williams said during the four o'clock hour on Sunday. "This is kind of what we expected for the first day. We thought [being open around] Thanksgiving would give us a big push. Everybody I've talked to has heard about it on the news, but remember it is a Sunday during football season."

Montgomery County's Department of Liquor Control's 24 county-owned liquor and wine stores will be open on Sundays from noon to 6 p.m. for a six-month trial period. The county currently permits Sunday alcohol sales in privately-owned beer and wine stores and on premise at licensed restaurants.