Woman Gives Up Church After Sunday Liquor Sales Approved

Tina Matthews attended Sunday morning church services at Heinz Chapel her entire life. For a while, she even thought about becoming a nun. But when the 22-year-old engineering major learned that some local liquor stores would remain open on Sundays, she quickly kicked the habit. Now, instead of sipping wine from a chalice, Matthews is swigging booze from a buffet of bottles.

“I have found my true savior,” Matthews said, “and His name is Jose Cuervo.”

In December, former Gov. Mark Schweiker signed into law a bill that allowed roughly 60 liquor stores statewide to remain open on Sundays. Eight of those 60 stores are located in Allegheny County. Matthews visits the Wine and Spirits Shop on Centre Avenue in North Oakland religiously.

“Yeah, that broad is in here every Sunday, stocking up on the sauce. She seems to have a thing for the tequila, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she mixed it up with a little blended whiskey every now and then.” proprietor Mark Fabian said. “It’s always those good, wholesome Catholics that are the closet-case alkies.”