Come November, at least two Statesboro restaurant owners hope to begin serving customers who want to enjoy a beer on a Sunday. The decision, now, is up to city residents. 
After the state passed a bill earlier this year allowing ommunities to vote on the issue of Sunday alcohol sales in stores and restaurants, the Statesboro city council voted last week to place on the Nov. 8 ballot a referendum to decide whether or not to serve alcohol on Sunday in restaurants and sell it in stores.
Two local restaurant owners are voicing their support for the vote and how important the referendums would be to local businesses.
“[The referendum] is huge,” said Jim Lanier, owner of Locos Pub & Grill. “Every Sunday we turn away an average of five tables that want to buy alcohol. And those are the folks that don't know we can't sell alcohol on Sunday. I estimate it would mean an additional $200,000 in sales per year and most of that wouldn't be alcohol. Most of it would be food that people would buy in addition to the alcohol. There are certain Sundays of the year that should be big for restaurants but are some of our worst days. People can't believe it when I say that Super Bowl Sunday is terrible for us, but it is. Same thing with the Daytona 500. In every other market, those days are huge and it all hinges on the ability to sell alcohol on Sunday.”
    For the time being, no organized efforts are planned by local restaurants or stores to raise awareness about the vote, although Lanier said he would remind people to go out and vote. 
    Lanier also pointed out that it is important for students and community members alike to be registered to vote, for all issues, but any kind of push at the moment to raise awareness about Sunday alcohol sales would be forgotten come election time.
    Like Lanier, Nathan Queen of Retrievers Sports Bar and Grill, sees the vote as a huge business opportunity for all of Statesboro.
    “Over the passed two years nine restaurants have closed in Statesboro,” Queen said. “During football season so many people from Statesboro go to Savannah to watch games because they can enjoy a drink while doing so. I would love to keep that money in Statesboro. I want to make something clear, I do not want to serve till 1 a.m. on Sundays, but 1 to 10 p.m. would be nice. We sell a lot of food on college football Saturdays and I believe that would be the case on Sunday as well.
    “It will bring more business and tax dollars to Statesboro. Everyone needs to understand it’s about bringing business to our city … If it passes great, I think it will be great for Statesboro and for all restaurants in Statesboro, but if it does not, then we will continue to operate in the same way.”
    The two referendums are separate votes on separate issues in Statesboro. The second referendum would affect the 33 convenience stores in the city and county holding licenses to sell beer and wine.
    Representatives for the Fast and Easy say the store probably would open its 118 Lanier Dr. location on Sundays if the referendum passes, and would try to raise awareness about the vote among its customers.
Walmart’s Elizabeth Schwacing, a frontend supervisor at the store, said that while Walmart would not participate in any sort of organized effort to raise awareness, the store does support both referendums and the possible business passage would bring to Statesboro.