Roswell, Alpharetta lean into home delivery of alcohol

The Roswell ordinance would follow House Bill 879 which Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law in August and allows the delivery of wine, beer and liquor to homes.

The Roswell ordinance would follow House Bill 879 which Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law in August and allows the delivery of wine, beer and liquor to homes.

Roswell plans to pass a law allowing home delivery of alcohol by restaurants and stores. City Council heard a first reading of the law on Monday and will vote on the measure during a Nov. 30 meeting.

Councilman Matt Judy has said the law would benefit businesses and homeowners reluctant to go out during the pandemic.

“Obviously people are loving our wine right now but there’s a lot of people who don’t want to come out,” said Dana Gurela, owner of Deep Roots Wine Market and Tasting Room. “They are very cautious."

The Roswell ordinance would follow House Bill 879 which Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law in August and allows the delivery of wine, beer and liquor to homes.

Alpharetta passed a similar law in September but only retailers can provide home delivery service. Customers must register with the retailer to receive the service, according to the Alpharetta ordinance, and under the Georgia law the recipient must be age 21 or over.

In Roswell, City Council members discussed an administration fee with the new law but details were not available.

“That’s the lovely thing about Roswell,” Gurela said. “They are very progressive with their alcohol laws.”

The city allows restaurant bar patrons to carry open containers from one place to another in districts such as downtown Canton Street.

Gurela said after the start of the pandemic customers came to Deep Roots for curbside pickup service, and online purchases have been steady. But the downtown Roswell business owner said she has hired more staff for safety measures in cleaning her establishment.

“This is going to be an added tool for us,” she said, of home delivery service.