Sunday liquor sales include bars

PORTALES, N.M. (KRQE) - Voters in Portales narrowly approved a measure allowing Sunday liquor sales. Many of those residents thought it only applied to restaurants, but that isn't the case, and this has some people felling like they weren't given all the information.

Liquor sales have been legal in Portales since the 70s, but it wasn't until last December that people voted for the option of Sunday liquor sales.

Some voters thought they were just allowing alcohol to be served in restaurants.

"Unfortunately at the time, I didn't realize that even though the wording said in restaurants, it would apply to other liquor establishments, I didn't find that out until later," explained Portales City Clerk, Joan Martinez-Terry.

Martinez-Terry found out the option would include bars two weeks before the election. She went on a local radio station to talk about it, but not everyone heard.

Back in September, a local restaurant owner presented the city clerk with more than 900 signatures on a petition for Sunday liquor sales.

The vote passed in December by just 33-votes.

Last week, a constituent brought up to the city council that local bars had obtained a license and were now selling on Sundays; something not everyone knew would happen.

"They were upset and I feel that they probably were justified in being upset," said Martinez-Terry.

"After the fact, I think what they really felt like, I guess they didn't vote, and they felt like if they had known this, they would have voted and would have voted against it."

Businesses that can sell on Sundays say it's helped them.

In the first couple weeks a Portales bar, the Dawg Houze, was open on Sundays, the owner said it tripled his expectations for Sunday liquor sales.

"We got a bunch of military folks out up here which is great, yesterday we had some students come up for the games, so it's really worked out," owner of the Dawg Houze, Chad Heflin explained.

Heflin has had his bar in Portales for five years without Sunday sales.

"You know that's our day--that's the one day of the week we have off, but you know the economy's the way it is, we just had to open and get some more sales in here," Heflin said.

A second bar in Portales is also selling Sundays. They too report a boost in business.

Though not everyone may be happy with the changes, Heflin said it's helping the city.

"We had a lot of them going to Clovis, it just helps our economics here in Portales, you know," Heflin said. "Why offer something 20 miles away and get revenue that way, when we can have it right here?"

The city clerk said those who oppose Sunday liquor sales in local bars can come up with a petition of their own, and possibly bring it to vote again.