By Alexander Wissel
The perennial dream of legalizing beer and wine sales in Maryland grocery stores is hardly new. For decades, it’s been described as a political problem, not a practical one. So why can’t grocery stores sell beer and wine?
A bit of context: In the hall of our office sits a commemorative plaque marking Dick Bestany and Jeff Metzger’s first paper and ownership of Food World in July 1978. Lower on that page is an article referencing a Maryland Food Dealers Association poll. A quick excerpt:
“On the controversial subject of beer and wine sales, 74 percent said that those goods should be sold in food stores.” It continued: “Fifty one percent noted that the ‘status quo’ on beer and wine in Maryland was not in the best interests of the industry and public.”
So, for nearly 50 years, we’ve known the public supports beer and wine in grocery stores. And (checks notes) virtually nothing has changed.
That doesn’t mean there haven’t been attempts. They’ve simply failed – again and again.
That’s why a new effort to democratize beer and wine sales has drawn so much attention. The Consumer Freedom Coalition, a group of labor, industry, and private-sector partners, is mounting what it hopes will be the final push to modernize Maryland’s antiquated laws.
Cailey Locklair, President of the Maryland Retailers Alliance, put it plainly at the campaign’s launch:
“In Maryland, we are at a competitive disadvantage. Residents who live near our borders routinely cross state lines into Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia—to one-stop-shopping in grocery stores where they can buy their weekly groceries and pick up beer or wine.”
Only Rhode Island, Minnesota, and Alaska still prohibit beer sales in grocery stores. Wine restrictions are slightly more common—eleven states don’t allow wine in grocery stores—but the broader trend is unmistakable.
The reason Maryland remains an outlier is simple: the lobby representing liquor store owners has been extremely effective. They view liberalized sales as an existential threat.
But evidence from other states that have modernized their laws shows the impact on existing retailers is minimal. Maryland even has its own real-world proof: the few grandfathered grocery stores currently selling beer and wine coexist with nearby beer/wine/liquor stores without incident.
More interesting—and potentially more concerning—are studies from Cornell and others showing that consumers, when offered the convenience of buying beer and wine at the grocery store, tend to consume more alcohol overall. Convenience expands the category for everyone.
Critically, when shoppers can buy beer and wine with their groceries, they make more weekly trips and spend more when they do.
The economic upside is significant in a state that needs new tax revenue streams. A 2024 study by Dunham & Associates for the Maryland Retailers Alliance found that allowing beer and wine sales in more food retailers would increase Maryland sales by $214.4 million, create more than 750 jobs, and generate $31.6 million in additional tax revenue.
For those outside the industry, it’s important to understand the stakes. Grocery stores operate on razor-thin margins. They have limited control over pricing in the supply chain and struggle to grow profit on core products. Beer and wine would give grocers a margin-friendly category and the financial room to reinvest in stores and workers.
As Cailey emphasized, “Every time a Maryland family crosses the border to shop, we don’t just lose the beer and wine sale. We lose their entire grocery basket. We lose sales tax revenue. We lose spending that should be supporting Maryland jobs and Maryland communities. And the stores left behind—already operating on 1–3% margins—feel that impact directly.”
Beer and wine sales could also be a lifeline for struggling urban “food deserts” and underserved rural markets. As municipalities experiment with “public supermarkets” and confront the brutal economics of grocery retail, the solution may be right in front of us.
Opening the door to beer and wine sales is a pro-public, pro-grocery proposal that strengthens grocers, supports small communities, and expands food access across the state.
Maryland deserves a level playing field and modern laws that reflect today’s realities. The current status quo hasn’t served the public—or the grocery stores that feed them—for nearly 50 years. With some luck and political will, perhaps the next legislative session will finally deliver meaningful change.
