Beverage Board Votes Down Wegmans Liquor Store

Unanimous vote denies liquor license for proposed second-floor liquor store inside Wegmans.

  The Howard County Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board voted 5-0 to not approve a license for the proposed liquor store on the second floor of the newly opened Columbia Wegmans at a four hour public hearing on Monday night. Multiple members of the board, including Anne Santos, James McQuarrie, Harry Evans and Lisa Lopez Friedman, said there wasn't a public need for the 10,000 square foot proposed liquor store, a requirement to get a license. "Too much is shared, it's under the same building," said Board Chair William Neault. "I'm just not happy with this at all." J. Steven Wise, a lawyer for the opposition who was representing King's Contrivance Liquors and Glenwood Wine and Spirits, told the board in his closing statements there was eight …

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Elle

6:59 pm on Friday, October 12, 2012

Walmart is always so sloppy and messy/trashy looking. I don't go there at all. Wouldn't see me step foot in there, even if it was the only place in town :)   more ›

Letters to the Editor

OPINION: Wegmans Liquor License Should Be Denied

Letter to the Editor by Russ Swatek of Long Reach.

  The Columbia Wegmans' liquor license application should be denied for: 1) violating state law, 2) violating county zoning, 3) eroding the business viability of the neighboring Columbia Villages, and 4) inconsistency with the General Plan.   1)  MD state law requires retail liquor operations to be separate from grocery and chain stores.  Wegmans is obviously both, and their application is a blatant attempt to circumvent the existing law.  Liquor retailers statewide are rightfully incensed that the rules under which their businesses were started and grew are about to be swept away.   2)  The Wegmans property's M-1 (light manufacturing) zoning was expanded to include a food operation, not a liquor operation.  Requiring acquisition of the …

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H.R. Pufnstuf

1:07 pm on Friday, June 22, 2012

Don't worry Vic, I'm sure your liquor store will be able to compete.   more ›