INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Opposition to a push for Indiana to repeal its long-standing ban on Sunday alcohol sales may come from an unexpected source, a newspaper reported: liquor stores.

A coalition called Hoosiers for Beverage Choices already has gathered 13,000 names on an online petition to allow Sunday alcohol sales in Indiana, said Grant Monahan, a spokesman for the group.

The group wants the state to allow Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages at drug, grocery and convenience stores. The group also is lobbying to allow the sale of cold beer at those same locations.

Currently, only package liquor stores can sell cold beer, and no Indiana stores can sell beer, wine or spirits for carryout sales on Sundays.

But The Indianapolis Star reported Sunday that liquor stores don't stand to profit much by allowing Sunday sales.

Liquor stores already face stiff competition from drug, grocery and convenience stores and would have to open on Sundays to maintain their market share if the law were changed, said John Livengood, president of the Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers.

"For many of them, they are still small-business owners who run their own businesses and man their own cash registers," Livengood said. "That is their only day off."

Liquor store owners assume the sales they formerly made over six days would be spread over seven, rather than increasing business, the newspaper said.

Alabama Liquor Store manager Lynn Latimer said Saturday nights are the busiest nights for her store in downtown Indianapolis because people are used to the Sunday ban. That would change if Sunday sales were legal, she said.

But because she needs a day off, Latimer said she likely would remain closed on Sundays and forfeit those sales to chain grocers.

"It would really wipe the little guy out," she said.

Monahan says Indiana is one of only 15 states that completely prohibit the carryout sale of alcoholic drinks on Sundays. Since 2002, 13 states have repealed laws restricting alcohol sales on Sundays, the group says.

According to the group, Indiana is one of only three states that prohibits retailers from selling alcohol on Sundays, yet allows restaurants, taverns and numerous sports and community events to sell alcohol by the drink on Sunday.

The group estimates that an additional $2 million could be raised from the revenue generated by new Sunday sales and that the money should cover grants for alcohol education and awareness programs.

While religion played a role in the original laws restricting Sunday alcohol sales, the Star reported that opposition from the Methodist and Baptist churches seems to have diluted.

"It has long since passed the time that you would see Methodists out waving signs about this as a group," said the Rev. Richard Hamilton, retired former pastor at North United Methodist Church in Indianapolis. "We have largely lost that battle a long time ago."

Hoosiers for Beverage Choices includes 23 retailers and three trade associations — Indiana Retail Council, The Indiana Petroleum Council and The Indiana Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association.

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Hoosiers for Beverage Choices: http://www.beveragechoices.com

Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers: http://www.indianabeverageretailers.org/

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Information from: The Indianapolis Star, http://www.indystar.com