Challenging tradition: The sisters who changed Sunday shopping – WWAYTV3

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — “We can’t believe it’s been forty years since we started talking about this so long ago.”

For decades, Wilmington’s blue laws restricted Sunday business activities, banning the sale of non-essential items.

While pharmacies and certain shops remained open, many others had to close their doors.

In 1983, Adele Aquino and her sister Janet opened a stationery store in the Cotton Exchange.

It didn’t take long for them to realize that their competitor down the street was allowed to operate on Sundays.

“Fair is fair,” Adele reflected. “Our competitor had been open for business, and if a pharmacy could sell a card, why couldn’t we sell our stationery? It just didn’t make sense.”

This realization sparked their determination to challenge the law. They called the chief of police for clarity on the restrictions.

“We said, ‘You told us we’d be arrested if we opened, and we see our competitor is open.’ He told us to make a citizen’s arrest! I replied, ‘Do your job!’ So, we decided we would be open the following Sunday.”

On that Sunday, Adele and Janet opened their doors, inspiring other businesses to follow suit.

“Three other stores decided to open as well. Then maybe one or two others joined in the following week. That just started it all off,” Janet recalled.

Their actions led to the formation of their group, “Blue Laws Aren’t Fair to Everyone,” rallying for change.

“It was a great rally. We had Luther Jordan and many townspeople speaking,” Adele shared.

What began as a small push to open on Sundays ultimately sparked a movement that changed the town’s landscape.

“It changed the complexion of the town and the tax base. We just initiated it because we wanted to be open.”