Starting today, the City of Chamblee plans to begin enforcing a new law prohibiting alcohol sales after 2 a.m. On Sunday, alcohol can’t be served after midnight except for certain holidays and celebrations like Super Bowl Sunday.
Under the old law, clubs and bars could sell liquor until 3 a.m.
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A coalition of owners and managers say the mid-year change is unfair because their liquor licenses, which are good for several more months, were purchased without warning that pouring hours would be reduced.
Representatives of clubs like Mansion Elan have been organizing protests and speaking with an attorney, although no announcements have been made about whether they will take legal action. Most of the affected nightspots are located on or near Buford Highway, a business corridor that is a target for development.
The Chamblee City Council unanimously approved the liquor law change in February, and it was initially scheduled to go into effect in April. Implementation was delayed for two months because of pushback.
Tisa Moore, a spokeswoman for Chamblee, said she could not comment on the clubs’ complaints because of the threat of litigation.
