Dozens of provincially owned liquor stores will open Sundays starting in July, months after Nova Scotia did away with Sunday shopping restrictions.

Out of 107 stores, the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation is opening 51 around the province as of July 8.

"Communities that are chosen are ones where we believe we can add net sales and net profit to our bottom line," NSLC spokesman Rick Perkins said Friday.

Agency stores and retailers in rural areas that offer NSLC products can sell alcohol this weekend.

For all Sunday openings, store hours are from noon until 5 p.m. Unionized employees will be scheduled according to their contracts and no one will be forced to work that day, the NSLC said.

The Nova Scotia government lifted Sunday shopping restrictions last October after a court challenge by two big retailers.