Restaurants in Benton Harbor will now be allowed to serve alcohol before noon on Sundays following action Monday night by city commissioners.
At their regular meeting, commissioners approved a resolution amending a local restriction that some stressed will not apply to convenience stores and liquor stores, only bars and restaurants.
Commissioner Sharon Henderson said the city was approached by the owners of restaurants within the city limits who are frustrated that competitors in Benton Township and St. Joseph are allowed to serve alcohol on Sunday mornings while they’re not.
“Some of the businesses downtown, the ones that pay taxes to the city of Benton Harbor, who chose to be in the city of Benton Harbor, wanted the same opportunity,” Henderson said. “And so as a commission, whether I drink alcohol or not, we have a responsibility to support our businesses to make sure that they thrive and they stay in the city of Benton Harbor.”
Mayor Marcus Muhammad said the city has to do what it can to attract businesses.
“All they’re asking for is a level playing field where they can survive as a restaurant in this community, which may not have the traffic of an Applebee’s and some of the other restaurants just across the bridge,” Muhammad said.
Muhammad said for the city to be able to reduce residential taxes, it needs a larger commercial tax base.
Commissioners in 2021 prohibited the sale of alcohol between 7 a.m. and noon on Sundays. This change will remove that restriction for Class C liquor license holders, or bars and restaurants.
Commissioners Ethel Clark Griffin and Emma Kinnard voted against Monday’s action.
