DENVER — Typically, most businesses are closed on Christmas Day. Beginning this year, Colorado liquor stores no longer have to be.
A bill signed into law earlier this year ended the state’s ban on Christmas Day liquor store sales.
Some Denver liquor stores remained closed on Wednesday, as there is no requirement to conduct sales on Christmas.
Hanna Welde-Yohannes and her husband have owned HJM Wine & Spirits in Denver’s Highland neighborhood for roughly 40 years. They welcomed customers in on Wednesday.
“They call me the mother of the neighborhood, the therapist of the neighborhood,” she told Denver7 Wednesday.
For many of her neighbors, Christmas spirit means spirits and liquor.
“I am serving the neighborhoods,” Welde-Yohannes explained. “They are happy. That makes me happy… I don’t mind if I work on Christmas.”
Nearby, Ram Ghimire opened his store, Federal Liquors, at 8:30 a.m. Christmas morning.
“It's busy actually, and I'm happy with that,” he told Denver7 Wednesday night.
Ghimire admits he liked having a law that prevented him from opening on Christmas so he could spend more time with his family. But now that he can, he decided to open the store and embrace the season of giving.
“[Customers] say like, ‘Hey man, you are here today? You're supposed to stay at home!’” Ghimire said. “But the other thing [they say] is, ‘Thank you very much for opening.’”
Even at work, Welde-Yohannes can spend the day with her family while helping make it a merry night for other families.
“It’s a new experience,” she said. “But I did my goal. I'm happy to serve them.”
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