Sunday Blues

 I'm old enough to remember a time when most retail businesses were closed on Sundays--or, at least, were only open for part of the day.

Right through the time I was in college (I graduated in 1974), major retailers--supermarkets, department stores, etc.--closed at about 6 PM Saturday night and didn't reopen until Monday morning. Smaller local shops--Mom 'n' Pops, as we called them--might be open for a half day on Sunday, in order to supply last-minute items to their customers. Usually, if they sold coffee and newspapers, they'd open early on Sunday (say about 6 AM) and close by 1 PM; if they sold alcohol--bars, some small groceries--they'd open around 1 PM (in New York, where I grew up, it was illegal to sell alcohol before 1 PM on a Sunday).

These were called the "blue laws". The term likely derives from the same source as the word "blue-stocking" for an overly religious person.

While I have times when I appreciate the ability to shop on Sundays, I also think those hours could be restricted more than they are currently. Is Sunday really the only day you can go buy clothes--especially when most clothing stores are now open to 9 or 10 PM on weekdays? I say this not from any religious stance, but just from the idea that one day a week without retail business is a good idea.