The inside the new Columbia Wegmans has reignited the debate on whether wine, beer and liquor should be sold in Maryland grocery and convenience stores.
In an expansive article on Saturday, the Baltimore Sun examined how multiple grocery stores are trying to find ways around rules that generally ban chain grocery stores from selling wine, beer and liquor. (There are some exceptions, such as an Eastern Shore Giant location that has a license that has been grandfathered.)
Adam Borden, the president of Marylanders for Better Beer & Wine Laws, said the bans are antiquated.
“Our culture has evolved,” said Borden. “It used to be one where temperance and orderly tax collections were our most paramount concerns. Today, consumers are bridling with restrictions that were in place decades ago because they stifle greater selection and better pricing.”
In order to be within liquor license rules, the proposed liquor store for Wegmans would be 10 percent owned and managed on a day-to-day basis by Ralph Michael Smith, a lawyer who lives in Ellicott City.
IAD LLC would own the other 90 percent of the store. IAD is a Delaware holding company owned by Christopher O’Donnell, the husband of Colleen Wegman, the president of Wegmans. Although O’Donnell is connected to Wegmans through his wife, he is technically independent from the chain grocery store.
In the Sun article, Smith said that O’Donnell has a dozen or so other start-up ventures that he runs independently. He said nobody in Wegmans owns anything in those ventures and “I guess (people) aren’t used to couples having two high-powered careers,” according to the Sun.
At the liquor board hearing on May 1, local about Smith being a front for Wegmans.
Amran Pasha, who owns a gas station in Columbia, complained that if Smith gets a license, then other large retailers would emulate the process to get their own stores.
“They’re not allowed to have a liquor store, so they’ve figured out a way to do it,” said Pasha. “The next thing we have is Giant doing the same thing… that means the end of small business in Columbia.”
At the hearing, only one Howard County resident came out in support of the proposal, Judy George of Laurel.
She said, “With the antiquated laws in Maryland, it’s really hard to find great wines and beers.”
She said she often goes to Corridor in Anne Arundel County to find particular wines she’s looking for, but would prefer to spend her money in Howard County.
Eric Stein, owner of Decanter Fine Wines and Spirits in Hickory Ridge, said after the hearing, "The average person doesn't care that much about alcohol sales. But the people involved in the industry want others to follow the rules... If the public wants to change the rules, there should be an outcry to do so."
Editor's Note: The original story said Corridor was located in Prince George's County, in fact, it's in Anne Arundel County. The story has been corrected, thank you commenters.
What do you think? Should Maryland allow beer, wine and liquor sales at chain grocery stores?
For the consumer, it's really a question of convenience and choice. Allowing supermarkets to sell legal alcoholic beverages shouldn't even be controversial. It should be a "no-brainer". Liquor stores will not go away, they will just be forced to be more competitive - provide better product, service, and prices to the consumer.
As is so often the case in Maryland, this is all about money. Local distributors find it much easier to work and deal with small mom and pop stores, who have limited bargaining power and no real economic power. As the Sun article points out, the landscape would completely change if grocery store chains like Wegmans and Whole Foods entered the picture. The balance of power would shift dramatically. While that would likely result in a net benefit to the customer, I can see where it might hurt the bottom line of certain state distributors. So naturally they will try to stop it and the customer be damned.
Btw, Perfect Pour was a leading critic of Wegmans liquors, and surprise of all surprises, Perfect Pour is now opening a second location.
Cuz they make 40% or more in the business and we are in big competition and we not make 20% or less in this business. So i think Maryland state give license big chane,like walmart,Marsh,or big grocery store,so basically is one stop shoping. Then i hope we make a good business and work for a good margin of profits, ...............Amarjit Singh.
All other state like,New york,la,nj,va,or so many other state sell liquor or beer in 7/11, or any other small store then why in Maryland,we can't,
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