LOYALSOCK TOWNSHIP -- Liquor stores in Pennsylvania were open Monday for the first time in state history. A bill signed into law last year loosened some restrictions, including selling liquor on certain holidays.
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board says the new law opens the door to improve consumer convenience and customer service.
It was a normal day at the Pennsylvania Wine and Spirits store just off the Golden Strip near Williamsport, but it was the first time state stores were open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
"It's starting to get to the point where things just don't shut down. I remember my mom talking about when she was a kid that on Sundays, the grocery stores, everything was shut down," said Drake Bailey.
Bailey works at a nearby diner. He didn't have the holiday off.
"I don't think it's necessarily disrespectful to him. It's just we're starting to become more needy as a culture and we need to have everything all the time and I think this is just a representation of that."
A bill signed into law last year loosened some of the restrictions on selling alcohol. State stores had previously been banned from opening on holidays. Now the stores will open on Presidents Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day.
"I did not realize that the stores closed before on holidays like Martin Luther King," said Larry Dieffenbach.
"I didn't know that it was open today, the first time it was open. I didn't realize that," added Jordan Homet.
Even so, the people Newswatch 16 spoke with were happy to see the "open" sign.
"People have off, so it's a good thing that people, it's another day that people have off that people can come and do their shopping," said Homet.
There's another alcohol-related law that goes into effect this week. Beer distributors can start selling six-packs starting Tuesday.