Trader Joe’s is known for having some incredibly cheap alcohol prices. So, what happens if you are planning a dinner party on a Sunday? Can you head on over to Trader Joe’s and get some wine?
It is going to be dependent on the state that you live in. If your state allows alcohol sales on Sundays, then yes. However, if your state bars alcohol sales then Trader Joe’s will not sell it to you.
Let’s explain.
About Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s is a store that has worked incredibly hard to offer quality products at an incredibly low price. This is, partially, accomplished by operating a lean operation (minimal staffing) but also purchasing well.
In many cases, you will find that Trader Joe’s offers some of the best prices on wine in an area. This is because they will often buy wine in bulk. It isn’t always going to be the best quality wine, but it is passable.
Trader Joe’s Alcohol Sale Policies
Alcohol sale policies in Trader Joe’s will be dependent on the state that the Trader Joe’s is located.
Some states will completely ban the sale of wine in grocery stores. Connecticut and Delaware are two of the states that immediately spring to mind here.
Other states will ban the sale of wine between certain hours of the day. Some may bar the sale of alcohol on Sundays.
Basically, Trader Joe’s has to live by the restrictions imposed by the state they are in. If they do not, then they will be breaching the law and could be liable for fines.
Therefore, it isn’t quite so easy to answer the question ‘can you buy wine at Trader Joe’s on Sundays?’ because it is going to be dependent on where you live.
Trader Joe’s Sunday Alcohol Sales Restrictions
Every single state will have its own restrictions related to the sale of wine in Trader Joe’s. There may be further local restrictions too.
In this section, we are going to give you an overview of states where you may not be able to buy wine on Sundays at Trader Joe’s.
It may be worth noting that there are some states (e.g. Arizona) where alcohol sales are restricted between certain hours of the day.
However, since alcohol sale restrictions will not occur at the time Trader Joe’s is open, we are not going to mention those restrictions.
This is because you still will be able to purchase the alcohol. You just won’t be able to buy it from elsewhere:
When we mention ‘no wine sales’ here, it is generally taken to mean in grocery stores. There may be liquor stores in your local area that may have options available.
- Alabama – no purchase before noon
- Alaska -no sales
- Colorado – no wine sales at all
- Connecticut – no wine sales
- Delaware – no wine sales
- District of Columbia – after 9am
- Florida – after 7am
- Georgia – depends on local laws
- Illinois – depends on local government
- Indiana – only between noon and 8pm on Sundays
- Kansas -up to 8pm in most local areas. Check with the local government.
- Kentucky – no wine sales at all. Up to 1pm for beer sales.
- Maryland – depends on the local government
- Massachusetts – after 10am
- Minnesota – no wine sales
- Mississippi – no wine sales
- Montana – after 8am
- New Hampshire – after 6am
- New Jersey – after 9am
- New York – no wine sales
- North Carolina – 9am to 9pm
- North Dakota – after 8am
- Pennsylvania – 9am to 10pm
- Rhode Island – no wine sales
- Tennessee – 10am to 11pm
- Texas – from 10am
- Utah – no wine sales
- Virginia – from 6am unless restricted by the local government
- West Virginia – yes unless it is Christmas or Easter Sunday
If you do not see your state listed, then it means that there are no restrictions on purchasing alcohol from your Trader Joe’s.
Tips For Purchasing Alcohol at Trader Joe’s on Sundays
Perhaps the best tip that we can give you is to understand what the laws are in your state and local area are. Make sure that you pay attention to those laws.
No matter what you do, if you head to Trader Joe’s outside of the wine sale operating hours, they are not going to sell them to you.
This also means that you need to checkout with your products before the cut-off time. If you head to the check-out with wine after the restricted hours then they will not sell it to you. Their system will not allow you.
Alternatives For Purchasing Alcohol on Sundays
The rules that we listed above will only apply to grocery stores such as Trader Joe’s.
If you cannot purchase alcohol from Trader Joe’s on a Sunday, then you may want to look into liquor stores in your area. Most of them have far more relaxed laws they need to follow. Although, once again, this will be dependent on the state that you live in.
Of course, you could always head to Trader Joe’s on a Saturday if grocery store wine sales are allowed in your state. There will be far fewer restrictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Buy Wine at Trader Joes?
It will dependent on the state. Some states bar grocery stores from selling wine.
Can You Buy Wine at Trader Joes in the Morning?
You will need to look into the rules for your state. Some will bar sales before 9am or 10am. Some may have restrictions up to midday.
Does Trader Joes Sell Wine in Ohio?
Yes. You can purchase wine from Trader Joe’s in Ohio.
Final Thoughts
There are restrictions on wine sales at Trader Joe’s in most states.
It is important that you learn what the rules are for your state. If you don’t, then you won’t know whether you can buy alcohol from Trader Joe’s.
If you can’t buy from Trader Joe’s then you can always head to your local liquor store instead.