Bar and Liquor stores like Crescent Bar and Red White & Brew have been in Hammond for years and will now be allowed to sell on Sunday.
The Lion's Roar/Jonathan Rhodes

The Hammond City Council voted on Mar. 22, 3 to 2 in favor of allowing bars to be open on Sundays. This issue was brought to a vote last year in July and was voted down by the Council 3 to 2.

“We are super excited about it and it is very long overdue,” said owner of Red White & Brew Todd Delanne. “I think it is the next logical step in progression for the city of Hammond and it is also an increase in the tax base which makes a lot of sense for the city and the state considering that we have so much trouble with our tax deposit.”

Not a lot of business comes to the bars in Hammond on Sunday in comparison with other days, but having the option makes things a lot easier for bars.

“Look at it this way, even if we do not do a huge amount of sales on Sunday, I still have to pay my light bill on Sunday, I still have to run coolers and all the other things are still expensive,” said Delanne. “On Sunday, I was just not allowed to generate any revenue to pay for those things. They expected me to earn it six days instead of seven and that is not fair for any business.”

The main reason why the Council changed their mind on this law was in the interest of fairness. Restaurants, grocery stores and gas stations could sell alcohol on any day, while bars had to remain closed specifically on Sunday.

“I like the idea that we have a choice to be open,” said Crescent Bar bartender Carl Hooks. “We want to be open the same as the restaurants and everyone else. We partially will not be open on Sundays unless it is a rare occasion, but we like the option.”

Slowly Blue Law, a law preventing activities on Sunday, in Hammond has been decreasing and in this case, bar owners wonder what the purpose of this law was.

“Hammond is commonly known as a family area,” said owner of Blackened Brew Avery Donze. “I do not quite know why they would allow a restaurant to sell alcohol and not a bar. I can understand trying to keep a family-friendly atmosphere, but downtown Hammond is beautiful, and whether a bar is open or not, it is going to stay beautiful.”

For most bar owners in Hammond, the law against bars selling alcohol on Sunday is something they have been fighting for years to change.

“The Red White & Brew opened in 1996 and was never able to open on Sunday,” said Delanne. “I bought the Red White & Brew in 2012 and we have been pushing to try to get them to let us open on Sunday. This is really four years in the making for us.”

Despite disagreement from some, bars can open on the same day as any other store.

“What’s right is right,” said Delanne. “If you look at it, every entity that sells alcohol in the city of Hammond sells alcohol on Sunday. So, why would you want to discriminate against one group in the first place. This is the leveling of the playing field, to be a true equal opportunity society. There is no way that this is not fair, it had to be done.