DARLINGTON, SC (WBTW) – In a decision most agree will bring big business to the city, Darlington City Council approved an ordinance Tuesday that asks voters if they want to be able to buy alcohol on Sundays.
“They got it everywhere else,” quipped David Lee Rogers. “Why you gonna stop it here?”
Rogers has lived in Darlington for three decades and said the laws barring Sunday alcohol sales have never made sense to him.
“Darlington is just like anywhere else,” Rogers explained, picking through the colorful backyard garden he tills each season for family and friends. “You can’t stop it just because some people don’t want it here. That’s wrong.”
Rogers said he and his friends often hang out in that backyard, but unless they plan correctly, they can’t always have as much fun on Sundays, even though there are stores all around them.
“You got to ride out further to get alcohol when you’ve got stores right here that can sell it,” said Rogers, shrugging. “Walmart’s right down the road; they can sell it.”
Tuesday’s unanimous approval of the Sunday alcohol ordinance means voters will now get the final say when they go to the polls in November.
“I don’t see why they wouldn’t let it come here,” Rogers said.
Rogers hopes his fellow voters agree because he said losing money to other cities like Florence and Hartsville just doesn’t sit well with him.
“Hartsville is in Darlington County,” he explained, frustrated. “It don’t make no sense; I don’t understand it.”
Darlington City councilman John Segars was pleased following Tuesday’s vote, and optimistic the voters will approve.
“This will help us reach some of that revenue that we’ve been missing out on,” Segars said.
David Lee Rogers and his friends have similar hopes for their city moving forward.
“We gonna celebrate,” Rogers exclaimed. “We gonna have a good ol’ time!”
