Sugar Grove likely to OK earlier liquor sales

Shoppers soon might be able to buy liquor two hours earlier in Sugar Grove since the village board is amenable to changing its law.

If the change is approved, you could buy packaged alcoholic beverages at 6 a.m. every day.

"I don't see it as any problem here," President Sean Michels said at Tuesday's board meeting. "We're trying to be business-friendly; we have not seen problems in other towns" that have 6 a.m. starts.

Yorkville allows sales at 6 a.m. daily. Oswego and Montgomery allow sales at 6 a.m. every day except Sunday, which has a 10 a.m. start. North Aurora allows sales at 7 a.m. except Sunday, which is 10 a.m.

The change was proposed in May by Sugar Grove Trustee Rick Montalto. He said the owner of a gas station on Route 47 asked him for the change. The station's early-morning customers include those towing boats or campers en route to vacation spots, Montalto said, and would prefer to buy their beer here.

"We would be remiss if we did not capture that sales tax," Trustee Kevin Geary said.

The board could vote on the change June 17.

The change would not affect when you can buy a drink at a restaurant. That would stay at 8 a.m., Michels said.