Patrons say yes to Sunday - First Sunday beer and wine sold in county

Detroit Lions fans in Ottawa County can now drown their sorrows with a Sunday beer.

Nov. 16 was the first Sunday that businesses in Ottawa County were allowed to sell beer and wine, following a decision by voters in the Nov. 4 election.

“We work a lot, so Sunday is our relaxing day,” said Denny Owen, of Park Township as he watched a game at Blazers sports bar in Holland Township.

“We just think this is time that this happened,” said his wife, Mary Owen, as she drank a beer. “It’s silly.”

Holland, Zeeland, Zeeland Township and Olive Township, however, still have liquor laws on their books that prohibit the sale of beer and wine on Sunday.

Joyce Verplank Hatton, owner of Blazers, said the change had boosted the number of people who had visited the restaurant Sunday afternoon — making it difficult for people to find seats.

“We’re licensed for a couple hundred people in here, so that tells you how full it’s been,” Verplank Hatton said.

Verplank Hatton, who owns the strip mall that Blazers is located in, said she was excited that her tenants could also sell beer and wine.

“This is such a tribute to the Say Yes to Sunday Committee,” Verplank Hatton said. “We’ve been working on this since March, so it’s been a long haul.”