ANNAPOLIS — The Penguin’s recent beer run to the state capital provided interesting insight into what Silver Spring residents can and cannot buy at the liquor store.
For example, current law allows MoCo package stores to sell booze but not bottle openers, corkscrews, drink mixes and other items needed to get the party started. A bill introduced by MoCo’s delegates hopes to flip that script.
“We sell tequila, but we can’t sell margarita mix. We sell vodka, but we can’t sell Bloody Mary mix,” a representative of MoCo’s liquor-control department testified Monday in front of the House economic-matters committee.
If passed, the bill would prohibit package stores from selling soft drinks, as well as snack foods like chips and pretzels. (Sorry, beer drinkers.)
The prospect of a one-stop hooch shop made lobbyists with the liquor industry twitch. Because MoCo operates a monopoly on alcohol sales, adding corkscrews and such to the inventory would hurt small retailers, lobbyist Bruce Bereano argued.
If approved by the economic-matters committee, the bill moves on to the full House of Delegates.
Photo courtesy of Flickr pool Alcohol as Still Life. Thumbnail courtesy of iStockPhoto.
Read 
What the hell are they building now? Learn more from 
Boxed wines and rosés are back in vogue. Just ask The Penguin's sommeliers.
Are we sure that MoCo County Liquor Stores can’t sell mixers? I distinctly remember purchasing bloody mary and margarita mix in the Colesville shop last year around New Years, and both were on sale to boot!
Regardless, I just want to be able to do all my alcohol related shopping in one location. Whether that location is at the corner liquor store or at the MoCo Country Liquor Fortress, I really don’t care. I’m tired of having to navigate my way to the liquor store to by some gin and the only beer I can by at said store is warm.
Honestly, I’d have no problem with the county selling all the alochol and related items at their stores. Their sales on liquor are usually very good, and it helps to curb underage buying significantly.
County liquor stores do sell mixers. I believe that the stipulation is that they have to contain some alcohol in them. For instance a sour mix there contains 2% alcohol.
Thank God the District of Columbia is a hop, skip and a jump from my location. I do my liquor and wine shopping in DC. I avoid Montgomery County managed liquor stores. The beer and wine places mark up the price of imported beer brands. You can find much better deals in DC for imported beers.
IHY – you are right on the mark about beer. A 6 pack of newcastle costs like 12 bucks in one of the beer stores in SS. I can get the same six pack for 9 bucks in PG County.
And it isn’t just the imports either. A 30 pack of Miller Lite is 17.99 in College Park off Rte. 1 and 22.99 in Silver Spring stores. We have a kegerator in our place, and we found out rather quickly that the same keg of Miller going for $90(!) in Silver Spring and Wheaton was going for $65 in CP. Must be the college town prices lol.
IHY, where do you buy at in D.C. that’s near SS? The only beer store I really enjoy in SS is Seminary, and thats definitely more than a hop, skip and jump away from me. I used to shop at the place on Spring Street by the Jerry’s and McDonalds, but after my 5th 30 pack of skunked, “cold” beer, I gave up.
Easley and others:
The nearest really good D.C. liquor store is Morris Miller, just over the D.C. line. Go down Georgia, past Eastern Avenue, and you’ll see it on your right. It’s only minutes (by car) from the Silver Spring metro. I think technically it’s on Alaska Avenue.
Hi, everyone!
According to House bill 827, county liquor stores sell only warm beer, wine, liquor, ice and bottled water.
The bill would like to add “items commonly associated with the serving or consumption of alcoholic beverages, such as bottle openers, corkscrews, drink mixes and lime juice”. It specifically excludes snack foods and soft drinks.
What JC says about the 2% sour mix makes sense. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen powdered drink mixes at package stores.
It’s ridiculous that we have to go to a county store for alcohol. Period. And then to have to go somewhere else for a corkscrew or party mixers?
What century are we living in? This is a tired old proprietary system that MoCo cloaks under the guise of protecting the citizens, when in fact it solely for the generation of revenue.
I’d love to compare MoCo’s revenue after expenses (including administering the county stores & program) vs. net tax increase from sales if retailers were allowed to sell alcohol and supplies.
I bet it would be about the same. And then there would be one less county department to fund and operate.
On a related topic, the Chipotles on Ellsworth still doesn’t have a permit to sell beer and margaritas. How many years has it been now since they’ve opened, 3 or 4? The liquor permit process in MoCo is unacceptably difficult.
Regarding Chipotles, I think the County is reluctant to grant a liquor license to a food place frequented by so many teenagers and children. Plus, that area of Silver Spring has a high-density of liquor licenses granted to establishments.
IHY, those may indeed be the County’s reasons, but they’re not good enough.
“Won’t somebody please think about the children!” I’d rather somebody think about the adults, too. I wouldn’t mind a beer or margarita with my burrito, and last I heard, both were legal items.
There are entire blocks in many cities where every other doorway leads into an establishment that serves alcohol. Those cities not only have not fallen apart in drunken chaos, but instead thrive.
If I’m not mistaken, Chipotle is part of the larger McDonald’s family of restaurants (Mayor McCheese’s second cousin). If that’s the case, I don’t see cerveza as part of their overall image.
Has anyone been to a Chipotle restaurant in another jurisdiction? Was beer on the menu?
Jennifer, you are right about Chipoltes being owned by the Evil Clown. However, since they opened in S.S., there has been a sign behind the cash register that says, “Coming soon, beer and margaritas!” That’s the only reason I bring it up.
In MoCo, I guess, “coming soon” is measured in cosmic terms.
McDonalds sells beer in their German restaurants. And you can take it outside to drink it if it pleases you.
It is illegal for Montgomery County residents to transport liquor across the County line. If caught by county police you could face a fine or even jail time. Buy safe, quality, delicious Montgomery County Liquor.
Editor’s note: Can anyone provide documentation that would prove or disprove this claim? I can’t find anything on it. — JD (Feb 23, 2008)
Jennifer, McLiquor must have been wasted when he or she wrote that. It’s absolute bunk. I checked both the MoCo Code and the Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 2B (booze), and found nothing to support that silly claim.
It was such a silly claim that I actually did bother to search, but restrictive as our local laws are, they don’t prohibit anyone from transporting booze across county or State lines.
Chipotles in DC and Virginia sell great margaritas.
Actually, mcliquor is partially correct. Any function such as a party where alcoholic beverages are sold requires a one day liquor licence and purchase of liquor from the County. Failure to do so could lead to up to a 2 year prison sentance and $1,000 fine. I have a friend in the catering business whose liquor licence was revoked for a month after getting caught transporting alcohol from Chevy Chase, DC to Chevy Chase, MD. Watch out Pengins, these guys are serious!
Editor’s note: This poster’s screen name has been modified. — JD (Feb 24, 2008)
Jennifer,
To answer your question about Chipotle’s serving alcohol in other jurisdictions, the Chipotle in Bethesda serves beer from the bottle.
Of course, the Chipotle’s in Bethesda opened well before the company was bought by McDonalds.
The Chipoltle’s in Laurel also sells bottled beer.
Chipotle in College Park also sells brew. My roommate’s first 21 year old buy was a Coronoa with his tacos.
Of course, this is in crazy-PGCo, where you can buy beer, wine AND liquor in the SAME STORE! THE MADNESS!
The Bottle and Cork in DC on Georgia (next to Ledo’s) has fairly decent prices and selection. They also have wine tastings occassionally. It’s actually about equidistant from where I live in SS (The Blairs), so I go there for all my party needs.
Editor’s note: Thanks for the tip, Rebby! — JD (Mar 14, 2008)