Augusta bars keep their doors open for their only Sunday of the year

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Super Bowl Sunday was the one designated Sunday for bars to be open and sell alcohol in Richmond County.

There has been lots of controversy that’s poured into commission meetings over this state law but not many people or bars jumped on the opportunity as you would think.

“We needed Super Bowl Sunday because we’re a sports bar. So, you know, Super Bowl Sunday is one of our biggest days,” said Clifton Thomas, owner of Cliffisms Sports Grill.

Local bars are only able to be open one Sunday a year in Georgia, this year voted by the Augusta Commission, it’s super bowl Sunday, again. But they are hoping it will change.

“If we’re allowed to open on Sundays, this would be a consistent crowd. We’re on the south, south side of Augusta. There’s nothing else out here. So you know, these people that are here need the same amenities that they have across town,” Thomas said.

It’s the same issue all over the CSRA every Sunday.

“We would like that opportunity as a bar to be open on a Sunday, I think it’s a great opportunity, with sports and everything going on, think about it, you got it. Every season, there’s something from football, to basketball, to college football to college basketball that goes on as an opportunity as to generate revenue for the city,” said Syderist Manuel, owner of Pedal Pub.

They say if being open on Sundays became permanent., it would help more than just their business.

“Augusta is the second largest city in Georgia and that is something to be I mean all around the world and we have the perfect opportunity to have other people come from other places. So just want to be at our beat in our area. Oh, we can keep up with it. It will be an awesome thing and something as simple as that is being open on Sunday will be a ticket for that,” said Charity Jones, owner of Pedal Pub.

So they plan to keep fighting for a change and doing what they can to keep the customers coming in

“But if we can open on Sundays, that’ll boost our revenue tremendously,” said Thomas.

Even though there is am effort in the Augusta commission to try and let bars individually pick which Sunday they would like to be open, nothing has moved forward yet.

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