Are Liquor Stores Open on Labor Day 2020?

If you’re wanting to visit a liquor store on Labor Day Monday 2020, whether you can go or not is going to depend on the laws in your state. Some liquor stores can’t operate on the holiday today, September 7, 2020. Other states will allow liquor stores to be open today. And then, others may be affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Read on for more details.

Some Liquor Stores Are Open for Labor Day, But Not All

In general, if liquor sales are state-controlled, then the liquor stores are likely going to be closed today. If the stores are privately owned and not state-controlled, then the stores can be open and it’s up to the owner or other state/local laws to determine if they operate today or not.

States that don’t have state-controlled liquor laws, and thus are more likely to be open today, include Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin, according to Legal Beer. But still, this isn’t a guarantee that the liquor store will be open today.

Your best bet is to call your local liquor store and ask if they are open today or not. For example, Legal Beer reported that in Kansas, even though the state doesn’t control liquor distribution, state laws still prohibit liquor sales on Labor Day.

It’s worth noting that the pandemic might change things up a bit today too. Most states consider liquor stores to be critical or essential businesses. But local laws or simply the stress and cost from the pandemic might still change how some stores operate. Some stores may only offer delivery or curbside or some stores may have limited hours due to the pandemic. So it’s still best to call. In addition, many states currently call for bars and alcohol establishments aside from liquor stores to be closed, such as Iowa.

Local State Laws & Labor Day

Here’s a look at local state laws as they pertain to Labor Day. Many of these details below are provided by Legal Beer or are from Wikipedia’s detailed page on alcohol laws here.

Note that you should still call your local store, as the pandemic and other situations may change how things run today. The listings below do not include pandemic laws regarding the closures of bars or alcohol establishments.

If a listing below says that liquor sales are not state-controlled, then it means that liquor stores might be open today, but it’s not guaranteed. If sales are state-controlled, then liquor stores likely won’t be open today. Where it’s known for certain if liquor stores are closed (aside from COVID restrictions, which can vary by city or even county), it’s indicated.

• Alabama – The only prohibition is that stores can’t sell until noon on Sundays in some counties. But some counties don’t allow the sale of alcohol at all. Privately-owned liquor stores tend to be open on public holidays, but it’s not guaranteed. According to their website, ABC stores are all open today except Stores 69, 130, 132, 239, and 240.
• Alaska – No specific holiday restrictions.
• Arizona – Alcohol is not is state-controlled.
• Arkansas – Note that about 39 out of 75 counties in Arkansas are dry and prohibit alcohol sales completely (a map is here.) But although alcohol sales are banned on Christmas, the same isn’t true for New Year’s or NYE or Labor Day. For example, Shamrock Wine & Liquor Warehouse is open on Labor Day in Smith, Arkansas from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
• California – No statewide holiday restrictions.
• Colorado – No statewide holiday restrictions (unlike Christmas.) (Colorado is simply reminding businesses to enforce face coverings and social distancing.)
• Connecticut  – Sales aren’t state-controlled. (Alcohol sales have been allowed on Labor Day since 2012.)
• D.C.  – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
• Delaware – Sales aren’t state-controlled. (Sales are prohibited on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas only.)
• Florida – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
• Georgia – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
• Hawaii – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
• Idaho  – Spirit sales are state-controlled, but all Idaho State Liquor Division Stores are open on Labor Day for regular hours, and contract stores may be open.
• Illinois – No statewide restrictions. Decisions are made by counties or municipalities.
• Indiana – Sales aren’t state-controlled, so yes stores are allowed to be open if they wish.
• Iowa – Sales are state-controlled, but Iowa does allow sales. For example, Bancroft Liquor Store is open today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Worthington Liquor Store is open from Noon to 5 p.m.
• Kansas – It’s not state-controlled, but sales are prohibited on Memorial Day, Labor Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
• Kentucky – Sales are not state-controlled. But some laws on holiday sales may vary city-to-city. Corn Sik Liquors, for example, is open today from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Louisiana – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
• Maine – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
• Maryland – Sales aren’t state-controlled. But some local municipalities may have holiday sales rules. In Montgomery County, you can see all the ABS store hours for today here.
• Massachusetts – Sales aren’t state-controlled, so stores can operate. Massachusetts only closes liquor stores by state law on Columbus Day before Noon, Veterans day before 1 p.m., Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• Michigan – Sales are state-controlled, but holiday hours are only enforced on New Year’s Day and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. So call your local store for details.
• Minnesota – Sales aren’t state-controlled. But sales aren’t allowed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Thanksgiving.
• Mississippi — Sales aren’t state-controlled. But sales aren’t allowed on Christmas, for example, and there are set hours for New Year’s Eve and Day. There aren’t similar laws for Labor Day.
• Missouri –  Sales aren’t state-controlled. There are only some rules in place for Sundays.
• Montana – Sales are state-controlled. Montana requires state agency franchise liquor stores to be closed on Labor Day, New Year’s Day, MLK, President’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• Nebraska – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
• Nevada – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
• New Hampshire – Liquor is sold in government-run stores. However, it’s worth checking. The New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet says on its website that while the Liquor Commission Headquarters is closed, their NH Liquor and Wine Outlet store locations will be open.
• New Jersey – No statewide restrictions, but there are dry communities.
• New Mexico – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
• New York  – No statewide restrictions. Some local areas may have restrictions, so call ahead.
• North Carolina – The state statute requires that stores be closed on Sundays and most holidays. Sales are state-controlled. ABC Commission notes that no ABC store employee shall sell alcoholic beverages on Labor Day and other relevant holidays.
• North Dakota: No statewide restrictions.
• Ohio – No statewide restrictions.
• Oklahoma – No statewide restrictions, but alcohol sales are forbidden on Labor Day.
• Oregon – Stores have the option of being open on all state holidays including Labor Day.
• Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania is stricter. A growing number of grocery stores are selling beer and wine now, but liquor sales are still limited to state-run stores. However, Labor Day sales are allowed. This year, Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores can open at their normal time and close at 4 p.m., they’ll also support curbside service.
• Rhode Island – No statewide restrictions. Sales are at the store owner’s discretion.
• South Carolina – No statewide restrictions.
• South Dakota – No statewide restrictions. For example, Beresford Municipal Liquor Store is open at 1 p.m., with Happy Hour from 1-7 p.m.
• Tennessee –  Sales aren’t state-controlled. Tennessean reports that the law changed in 2018 and sales are now allowed at liquor stores on Labor Day. AAIAC also reports this.
• Texas – Sales aren’t state-controlled. Liquor stores are open on Labor Day, but not on Christmas or New Year’s.
• Utah – Utah.gov notes that all liquor stores in Utah are closed on Labor Day this year.
• Vermont – Spirit sales are controlled by the state, according to Legal Beer.
• Virginia – Sales are state-controlled. But for the first time two years ago, liquor stores were open on New Year’s Day this year. The state-run stores are typically open on Labor Day at noon, but they close by 6 p.m.
• Washington – Sales are state-controlled. However, many years some state-run stores are open on Labor Day, so call to check.
• West Virginia – Sales are state-controlled. However, call your local liquor store because Labor Day sales are sometimes allowed. A 2019 document did not mention any restrictions on Labor Day.
• Wisconsin – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
• Wyoming — Sales are state-controlled but some stores are open. Town & Country Supermarket Liquors, for example, is open all day on Labor Day, according to their website.

The latest COVID-19 deaths, cases, and updates