CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) – The time for the last call to South Carolina bars may return to normal soon.
In July, Governor Henry McMaster signed an executive order banning alcohol sales after 11 pm.
The objective was to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
On Monday, McMaster said he hopes to suspend the application soon, but that depends on vaccinations and the number of cases.
Owners of some South Carolina bars and restaurants that rely on crowds until late at night initially said they were nervous about what the move would mean for business.
“It was definitely a fear, which is a big part of our revenue each week,” said Charleston Hospitality Group operations director Jeff Diehl. “We were concerned when the order came out, because that may well be a closure for us.”
Seven months later, some companies did not feel the impact of the lack of alcohol sales at dawn.
Diehl said sales have increased over the past year and the year before, and people are simply going to bars and restaurants earlier.
Jesus “Ish” Fernandez is the general manager of Tabbuli on King Street in Charleston. He said at the outset that the “last call” order was a huge success for the business, which made many sales between 10:00 pm and 1:00 am.
Since then, the restaurant has shifted its focus to delivery options and more food sales that go beyond 11pm.
“In the end, we had more people leaving early and having fun. People made it a habit to go out early and say, ‘Let’s do this, let’s do that’, and go home early, ”said Fernandez.
Although the order did not affect these deals at night, some say that places that serve breakfast see the difference.
Diehl said the ban also does not allow places that serve alcoholic drinks before 10 am, so some restaurants cannot serve mimosas or other drinks in the morning.
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