(Photo: WBOC)RICHMOND, Va. (AP)- Sunday alcohol sales at state-run liquor stores have surged Virginia since they went statewide in July.
Sales at all 339 Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control retail stores totaled $243 million by the end of October. That's up $9 million from the same period in 2011, when 130 stores were allowed to open their doors on Sunday.
Delegate Dave Albo says the General Assembly changed the law to increase state revenue. While the move is working, the Springfield Republican says he's still philosophically opposed to the state being in the liquor business.
Gov. Bob McDonnell has unsuccessfully tried to privatize the state's liquor business.
A spokesman for Gov. Bob McDonnell says the governor still believes that selling liquor isn't a core function of state government.
