Micky Finn's Owner, Rick Havekost, Discusses Sunday Liquor Sales With Ken Ard On No Stop Lights Podc

posted by Brandon Turbeville on Apr 28, 2025

With the recent upswell in chatter regarding Sunday Liquor Sales in South Carolina, it is almost undeniable that South Carolinians have grown tired of outdated Prohibition-era laws that seek to restrict their access to alcohol. From discussions with government representatives at multiple levels and, most importantly, from South Carolina voters, it is apparent that public opinion has reached critical mass on this issue.

One such discussion took place over the airways on April 25 on the CW channel. Rick Havekost, owner of Micky Finn’s and vocal proponent of Sunday Liquor Sales, joined Ken Ard on No Stop Lights to discuss the progress and potential of changing South Carolina’s outdated laws to allow liquor to be sold on Sundays.

The interview is important for anyone who wants to understand the current status of Sunday Liquor Sales and the process for eventually changing the law.

Rick Havekost mentions one bill, House Bill 4001, that would allow individual County referenda on Sunday liquor sales and, if passed, would allow stores to open from 1pm-5pm. Another bill being discussed is slightly less restrictive and would allow for opening during regular business hours from 9am-7pm.

A few things to keep in mind regarding the process for achieving Sunday liquor sales: First, any changes to liquor laws in South Carolian must come from the State Legislature. Both the House and Senate must agree on and pass a bill that is then signed by the Governor.

At that point, the County Council will need to agree to put the issue on the ballot in the form of a referendum. If the County Council agrees to allow a referendum, the vote will then go to the public who will decide the issue at the ballot box.

Despite such broad public support, however, there appears to be little movement by the State House or Senate to seriously consider the proposal. This obstinance is frustrating proponents and public opinion all across the state.

“Over 75 to 80% of the people that stop at Buc-cee’s are from out of state,” Havekost said. “So, you’re looking at the 8% Sales Tax on all that revenue. That revenue is low hanging fruit for money that would help Florence County, Horry County, Georgetown County, wherever that alcohol is sold.”

In the last year, Havekost opened Micky Finn’s’ third location across from Buc-cee’s in Florence. Because Liquor sales on Sunday are not legal in South Carolina, Havekost is forced to watch Buc-cee’s do close to a million dollars worth of business on some Sundays while state law forces his business to be closed on its potentially busiest day.

“We deliver to the beach . . . three times a day, six days a week,” Havekost added. “Full vans. Over and over and over. And we can’t deliver on Sunday.”

Havekost went further, stating:

We have to close at 7 o’clock on Saturday night and we do not reopen until 9am Monday morning. And explaining that to people from Ohio and Florida and Georgia and Virginia . . . they’re like ‘what are you talking about?’ And the irony of this is, you can go to a restaurant and buy and then be forced to drive home, hopefully Uber, but you can’t buy when you get to the beach with your family and say ‘let’s make margaritas and cook out on Saturday night or Sunday night. You can’t do that. You actually have to leave your rental and then drive back [after consuming at a restaurant]. South Carolina has always been about choice here and, for whatever reason, this one law, nobody will put on a referendum. We got the beer and wine passed, I think the last or second to last county to get beer and wine passed, this last cycle. We put it on a referendum and it passed with like 65 or 67%.

. . . . .

This is a choice. No one is saying that liquor stores have to be open.

Havekost also pointed out that those who are opposed to Sunday liquor sales are under no compulsion to purchase alcohol on Sunday or any other day and how the crux of the issue is fundamentally one of choice. He said:

You’re taking the one last choice out of this. You don’t have to shop. Not only do you not have to open, the person doesn’t have to stop at the store. And, if you resent that store for opening on Sunday, you can shop at a different store on Monday. The idea here is choice. Bring in a little bit of revenue. Help out the county. Help out the state. Help out the tourism. Help out the reputation, the freedom of it, and move on. . . . I think it’s progress. I think it’s progress for the state and it’s low hanging fruit on the tax side.

For his part, Ken Ard agreed, stating, “Good old South Carolina prides itself in the freedom to choose. What better example of the freedom to choose. If you choose to go to church, go to church. If you choose to not drink, don’t drink. But, if you choose to drink, I think you should have that option on Sunday no matter what the time of day is.”

Ard then interviewed William Schofield, one of the more open-minded and forward-looking members of the Florence County Council. Schofield took an entirely reasonable position, essentially stating that it should be up to the people of Florence County and the business owners themselves. He said:

“Number one, it’s not my choice. I believe in putting things to a referendum like the beer and wine sales that happened when we were on city council and just happened while I was on county council. We put it up for referendum and it passed overwhelmingly. I’m a big proponent in believing that the people should have their say in that. Whose job is it, cause it ain’t the governments’, to tell me I can be open six days a week but not seven. That’s up to the business owner. If the business owner doesn’t want to be open on Sunday, that’s their prerogative. I’m not gonna be open on Sunday. My businesses are gonna stay closed. But that’s my business. If another business wants to be open on Sunday, by all means be open on Sunday. That’s your choice. That’s where I stand.”

Schofield then clearly stated his support for a countywide referendum for Sunday liquor sales, provided the opportunity. “I’m supportive of a referendum on it,” he said. “There’s no reason not to. I mean, I would gladly try and convince others to allow a referendum for that.”

So, with public opinion having reached critical mass in the State, and even many local council members being on board with Sunday alcohol sales, not to mention the amount of increased sales tax revenue that Sunday sales would bring to the State, many are left wondering: Why won’t the State legislature move on this issue?

No reasonable person believes that banning Sunday Liquor Sales prevents anyone from drinking. Furthermore, no reasonable person believes that they or the government should have the right to prevent adults from drinking in the first place.

So, are State legislators really in favor of the principle of a Prohibition-era law whose world view has long been consigned to the dustbin of history? Or, are State legislators truly so disconnected from their constituents that they truly believe the voting public is stuck one hundred years in the past? Is there some other reason that the State legislature seems content to allow South Carolina to remain one of the most restrictive states in the country when it comes to alcohol?

Whatever the reason, South Carolinians need to reach out to their State Senators and Representatives and inform them that, thankfully, Prohibition has ended in South Carolina and that the citizens of this State support freedom of choice.

You can find the contact information for your Representative and Senator at this link: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/email.php?chamber=B

Be sure to watch Ken Ard’s interview with Rick Havekost and William Schofield for more detailed information about the fight to allow Sunday Liquor Sales in South Carolina and Florence County.