DUNNELLON — Come Sunday (Sept. 15), anyone in the city who wishes to buy alcohol , can do so legally.
At the Sept. 11 City Council meeting, council unanimously to approved an ordinance permitting alcohol sales on Sundays.
Mayor Walter Green made the proposal in July and it was well received by business owners and council.
After the vote, one of those business owners, Nick Patel, expressed his approval. Patel owns three businesses, one of them A to Z Liquor Store, within the city. In a phone interview, he said the ordinance will attract more people to the area, increase revenue for businesses and create jobs.
He called the ordinance a “win win for everyone.”
Without the Sunday alcohol sales, Patel said, potential customers would drive to nearby Crystal River to buy booze.
With the passage of the ordinance, alcohol now can legally be sold between 7 a.m. Sunday and 2 a.m. Monday. Under the previous order, only beer and wine could be sold on Sundays within the city limits.
According to city officials, roughly half a dozen businesses will see the benefits of the Sunday alcohol sales.