Let the Soviet oenophile rejoice. As part of General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev's antialcoholism campaign, liquor stores had cut their hours, selling their wares only from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Authorities have relaxed the rules a bit by allowing shops to sell wine and champagne from noon to 8 p.m. The hard stuff, however, is now officially available only between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., one hour less than before.
The hours were expanded after newspapers ran letters from disgruntled citizens complaining that those who merely wanted a glass of wine at family celebrations were forced to stand in endless lines...
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