SLA to Consider Expansion of Wine and Liquor Store Hours Within Albany County
On May 21, 2025, the New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) will hold a public hearing to consider whether to expand the legal operating hours for wine and liquor stores within Albany County.
Rules governing the hours of operation of businesses licensed to sell alcohol are generally regulated at the county level. Under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, the SLA upon receipt of a resolution by a county legislature, is required to hold a public hearing within the county requesting the change. Currently, the permitted hours for wine and liquor stores in Albany County are as follows:
- January 8 - November 14: Monday - Saturday, 9am - 9pm
- November 15 - January 7: Monday - Saturday, 8am - 11pm
- Year-Round: Sundays, 10am - 10pm
For most liquor stores, a huge percentage of their revenue is earned in the holiday season, which is why the time period from mid-November through early January already allows for more expansive sales hours than the rest of the year.
Until recently, liquor stores across New York were not able to open until noon on Sundays year-round. However, legislation signed by Governor Hochul in October 2023, expanded liquor store sale hours on Sundays from 12pm to 10am. This change was immediately implemented statewide, as no counties had resolutions on record with the SLA that restricted liquor or wine store hours beyond the previous statewide hours of Noon to 9:00pm on Sundays.
Store owners were generally in favor of the 2023 Sunday hours expansion, though a number noted that during the majority of the year, it was not worth it to them to pay to staff the store for those additional hours, when they could expect only minimal sales. Accordingly, a number of stores choose to only take advantage of the expanded hours during the holiday season and other holiday or peak sales weekends when they feel that the increased revenue offsets the labor and other costs.
Most liquor stores saw huge revenue increases during the pandemic when they were designated as essential businesses and more people were consuming alcohol at home since restaurants were not open. When restaurants re-opened, the spike in sales declined. Liquor store sales have been further negatively impacted by the legalization of cannabis and the sober-curious movement. The ABC law allows liquor stores to sell a a very limited range of non-alcoholic products, and most cannot carry mocktails or pre-made non-alcoholic drinks, which have become popular in recent years.
Under the changes proposed by the Albany County Legislature to be considered at the May 21 hearing, sale hours Monday through Saturday would be extended to 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. year-round and Sunday hours would remain the same.
Albany liquor store owners are expected to be in favor of this proposition, which would allow, but not require them to be open for the extra hours. However, much like the 2023 Sunday hours expansion, many stores will likely only open for the extra hours during particularly busy times.. Opponents of the expanded hours may argue that allowing individuals to purchase wine and liquor during these hours, particularly from 10pm - 12am, will have no real benefit to the public and will potentially lead to increased substance abuse, underage access to alcohol, and drunk driving incidents.
The hearing, which is open to the public, will be presided over by an SLA Administrative Law Judge. No final determination will be made on the 21st. Members of the SLA will vote on the matter at a future full board meeting once they have been able to receive and review the written report of the hearing. The SLA's full board meetings take place twice per month in-person at the SLA's Harlem office. Applicants can also appear via video from the Albany and Buffalo offices. The hearings are available via livestream on the SLA's YouTube Channel and are archived on the site.
If approved, the expanded hours would apply only to wine and/or liquor stores located within Albany County. Other counties could request a similar amendment, which would require a public hearing via the same process.
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