As a longtime former state alcohol regulator, I found the principal argument (from local package store owners who expressed opposition to legalizing beer and wine sales in grocery stores)— that this policy would lead to the widespread failure of local retailers — to be baseless and unsubstantiated. Even if such a bill were to become law, grocery stores would not be permitted to sell distilled spirits. Maryland consumers wishing to purchase tequila, vodka, whiskey and rum would still need to visit local package stores.
Grocery stores and local package stores fill distinctive roles. I have spent most of my adult life in Talbot County, which, due to an idiosyncrasy in its charter, is the one place in Maryland where grocery stores can sell beer and wine. While those stores offer a limited inventory of locally sourced beers and wines, most of their shelves are occupied by national brands — such as Bud, Molson Coors, Franzia and Barefoot — that appeal to general consumers.
Consumers looking for small and emerging craft breweries, boutique wines and exclusive labels will still have to visit local package stores. These stores also typically offer highly responsive and knowledgeable customer service that grocery stores cannot and will not match.
Not one Talbot County package store went out of business in my nearly 20 years there. Like any successful business owner, they simply adjust, adapt and rise to the competition — just like local retailers across the country, including in neighboring Washington, D.C.
