Governor Wes Moore today announced his support for changing Maryland's laws to allow for alcohol sales in grocery stores.
"Maryland is one of a handful of states in the nation where consumers can only buy beer and wine from specialized stores—resulting in less consumer choice and putting our stores at a disadvantage. Lifting this ban puts the consumers first, and ensures fair competition in the marketplace.
As other states have done, I am confident that the General Assembly will be able to address the concerns from opponents of this policy change that more than 40 states have adopted in a thoughtful manner. I look forward to working with our legislative partners to advance this overdue change in policy to advance consumer choice and economic competitiveness that enjoys the support of the vast majority of Marylanders across political parties and regions across the state.
," said Gov. Wes Moore at an unrelated news conference today.
For the law to change, the Maryland General Assembly would need to take up the issue in the legislative session, which begins on January 8th.
"I look forward to working with our legislative partners to advance this overdue change in policy to advance consumer choice and economic competitiveness that enjoys the support of the vast majority of Marylanders across political parties and regions across the state," says Gov. Wes Moore.
Pre-filed bills are not yet available through the legislature's website, so it is unclear if any lawmakers have taken this up, but four different lawmakers filed bills like this in the last two years.
HB847 last year, was sponsored by Delegate Marlon Amprey, who represents Baltimore City and would have authorized food retailers to get liquor licenses and sell alcohol.
In his written testimony on the bill, he argued that the bill would modernize state laws and provide other benefits.
"By empowering food retailers to obtain Class A licenses, we can expand consumer choice, support local businesses, and stimulate economic development," Amprey wrote.
However, the owner of a Bowie liquor store submitted testimony opposing the bill, arguing it would hurt small businesses in the state.
WMAR-2 News Elizabeth Worthington spoke with a local liquor store owner in Baltimore, who was upset by Governor Moore's announcement.
"The biggest issue I have as an owner here - we’ve been here 88 years - I will not need half the employees I have. It will put lots of stores out of business," JoAnn Hyatt said.
Hyatt doubts that the big grocery chains will hire more employees if they're allowed to start selling alcohol.
"They aren’t, they don’t need them. They just stack everything on the floor, put it on the shelves, and walk away."
She said the profits from the grocery stores wouldn't stay in Maryland, but rather go back to the states the companies are based out of. Giant Food is based out of Landover in Prince George's County, Maryland, however. Weis is based in Pennsylvania; Safeway in California, Wegman's in New York, and Aldi in Illinois.
"It’ll be a sad day for the state of Maryland. And I know people will listen to the news, and go, well it’s liquor, who cares? This is people’s living here. I’ve got people that have worked for me for 40 years," Hyatt told WMAR-2 News.
Just talked to the owner of family-run Wells Discount Liquors, who is very upset with this announcement.. she says it would hurt small businesses, and the profits made by the big grocery chains wouldn’t go to the state, but would go back to the companies themselves https://t.co/6bFPIBb869 pic.twitter.com/UCi3vtSB6q
— Elizabeth Worthington (@ElizWorthNews) December 11, 2024
Jack Milani, legislative co-chair of the Maryland Licensed Beverage Association and owner of Monaghan’s Pub in western Baltimore County, told WMAR-2 News:
“I know the Maryland families and small businesses that run the independent stores are going to be very disheartened to hear that the Governor has sided with these big corporate supermarkets without even hearing from them directly. This is gonna put some independents who put their life savings into their stores out of business, and you can bank on that. Just look at what’s happening in Colorado.”
He referenced this local Denver newspaper article about dozens of liquor stores going out of business in Colorado after a 2022 policy change that allowed grocery stores to sell wine.
Governor Wes Moore's spokesperson said that selling beer and wine in grocery stores is an issue that Moore hears about all the time.
“In every corner of the state from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore, this is an issue that people are asking about," says Gov. Moore.
The spokesperson added that they've seen polling from the Maryland Retailer's Association that shows that 72% of Marylanders are in favor of this policy change.
That poll was conducted in 2022.
Editor's note: We replaced a quote from a statement Gov. Wes Moore released with a quote he gave at a press conference later in the day.