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Arlington Heights stores to sell alcohol earlier on Sundays

Arlington Heights stores will soon be able to start selling alcohol several hours earlier on Sundays.

The village board on Monday unanimously approved changing its municipal code to allow packaged liquor sales starting at 8 a.m. on Sundays rather than 11 a.m. Sales already were allowed to start at 8 a.m. every other day of the week.

The change will take effect Jan. 17.

Jewel-Osco, which has three stores in Arlington Heights, brought the change up with the village and said Sunday is the chain's top shopping day, said Assistant Village Manager Diana Mikula.

"Staff believes that granting this request would benefit Arlington Heights businesses by giving them more flexibility to meet the needs of their customers," read a staff report.

The change applies to businesses with a "Class B - full packaged sales" or "Class BB - beer and wine only" liquor license, which Mikula said is 36 different grocery stores, liquor stores and other places that carry packaged liquor including beer, wine and spirits.

A survey from Jewel showed that among more than 40 municipalities in the Northwest suburbs, only Rolling Meadows and Arlington Heights had sales restrictions as late as 11 a.m. Sunday liquor sales can start at 6 a.m. in Elk Grove Village, 7 a.m. in Wheeling, 8 a.m. in Mount Prospect and 9 a.m. in Des Plaines and Buffalo Grove, Mikula said.

"I think this does make sense from a competition standpoint for our local businesses," said Mayor Tom Hayes.

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