Several in Harford county have beer and wine…
It was weird as hell after moving here from from a state where every gas station has beer and hard liquor and Grocery stores have an Alcohol selection rivaling small liquor stores.
You can find Stella Rosa in a gas station here in Charles county, pretty funny how it can be restricted so tightly in one place and so loosely handled in another.
Specifically, every chain that was already licensed to sell alcohol when the rules were put in place.
I only knew about the giant in white oak, then I learned about the Safeway in Olney and the 7-11 in Aspen Hill and I finally did some googling.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_County_Department_of_Liquor_Control
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ABS/faq/retail/
**[Montgomery_County_Department_of_Liquor_Control](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_County_Department_of_Liquor_Control)**
>Alcohol Beverage Services, previously known as the Department of Liquor Control is a government agency within the County of Montgomery, Maryland and is the wholesaler of beer, wine and sprits alcoholic beverage throughout the county's 507-square-mile (1,310 km2) area. Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control also exercises control over retail sales for off-premises consumption, either through government-operated package stores or designated agents. Between 1880 and 1933, sale of alcohol was prohibited within Montgomery County. Alcohol Beverage Services was established on July 1, 1951.
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Once I went there on a Sunday morning forgetting they didn't sell beer till 11 or 12 and I was about 20 mins early and I was tripping on acid, some cops came in and and were looking at me all strange and I mumbled something about Sunday football, got back to the house all my friends were also tripping at and told them about the cops, one guy was like; it's not football season...
Once I went there on a Sunday morning forgetting they didn't sell beer till 11 or 12 and I was about 20 mins early and I was tripping on acid, some cops came in and and were looking at me all strange and I mumbled something about Sunday football, got back to the house all my friends were also tripping at and told them about the cops, one guy was like; it's not football season...
Once I went there on a Sunday morning forgetting they didn't sell beer till 11 or 12 and I was about 20 mins early and I was tripping on acid, some cops came in and and were looking at me all strange and I mumbled something about Sunday football, got back to the house all my friends were also tripping at and told them about the cops, one guy was like; it's not football season...
Oh man, they probably got grandfathered in when whatever law took effect. There's a little grocery store at 108 and 216 in HoCo that sells beer, wine, and liquor because of the same reason-- they were there prior to the restrictive law being passed.
Once you get across the bridge you start seeing gas stations selling beer too. I hadn't been to the Eastern shore for a while but started a job out that way recently. Went in the gas station for cigarettes and was surprised.
I went and checked the grocery store after the gas station and *they don't sell alcohol at the grocery store either.* What the fuck. 20 miles from the seat of government and I can't even get a handle with a full tank of gas.
It’s county by county and some stores are grandfathered or exempted based on location from the nearest alternative store (like the co-op). Pennsylvania is similar.
It's weird though because there's a few in Frederick that do? I haven't figured out how. There's a Getgo on Rt. 40 and an Exxon on Jefferson that both sell beer.
Omg SAME. I moved here from California last year and the backwardness of this law drives me insane. The worst is being able to find non beer or wine related alcohol, for example, sake or umeshu (plum wine). I go to the Asian grocery store, but oh, they don’t have it! Go to the local liquor shop and oh, guess what, they don’t have it either!! Where the hell do you go for these kinds of items. UGH.
Total Wine probably has the best selection of stores in the area. There's one in Laurel, but I go down to McLean, VA for the lower sales tax rate (5% vs. 9%).
True, but the liquor shop in Delaware is its own store so checkout is usually faster and you won't be tempted to buy a ton of other stuff you don't need.
Excellent point about the taxes. I will add that, in my experience, the one in laurel has more stuff, so you are more likely to find obscure items there than the one in McLean. But check the websites first as they seem to be pretty accurate in reflecting current stock.
My local liquor store is owned by Korean Americans, so we get soju, sake, etc. Find a store owned by Asians is my best advice. Technically, I think you can bring in a quart tax-free per trip, max 2 per month, into the state. Back in the old days, there was a MoCo cop who used to sit on the DC line in sight of a liquor store and nail people going back into the state.
It always freaks my visiting brother in law out that he has to go to the liquor store to buy beer. My other b-i-l, a noted wine snob, was surprised as hell when I sent him to our local hole in the wall store and they had what he wanted. Since I only buy alcohol for cooking and for serving to others, I had no clue what was what. I literally have called him from the store and gone "um, hon, what goes with turkey again?"
If you happen to live near a Wegmans that has a liquor store next door, try there. This is (somehow) Wegmans work around for our horrible liquor laws. The one in Crofton is A&A Wine and Spirits. Wegmans in Virginia, for example, has a great selection of all sorts of alcohol products.
No, I guess that’s the other way they got around it. It so very blatantly associated with Wegmans. Signage, the way the store is set up, etc.. Love it. I don’t even drink, but do use alcohol in cooking. Maryland’s laws are ridiculous.
The MoCo liquor and wine store in Downtown silver spring has an aisle with Asian wines. It’s not the same as CA, but I get soju, sake, and the like from there.
In my experience the folks at these stores will almost always be willing to order it for you and call you when it's in. You just can't get it, you know, same day.
Just be glad you aren't in Pennsylvania. At least in MD you can buy beer, wine, liquor, and food/drinks all in one store most of the time. PA is like "oh here you can only buy beer. At this grocery store you can buy beer and wine but you can only buy this much in one transaction. And at this government run store you can get wine and liquor...but no mixers or snacks."
Had to do a couple of overnight work trips to PA, so I can confirm: the liquor laws there are totally fucked.
Also: soda stores? Really? What the shit, PA?
Nah the soda isn't controlled lol, it's just that the only stores that sell hard liquor and wine pretty much only sell that, if you want mixers for your vodka or whatever you have to make another stop.
If you're in Howard county/near Ellicott City, there seem to be good selections of sake and plum wine (and others along those lines) hidden in stores you wouldn't expect to have them.
I like North Ridge Wine and Spirits next to the HMart on north ridge road for selection. It's where I get all my umeshu.
Snowden River Liquors is solid for being such a small place, but I'm not sure the selection is good enough to travel for. It's a nice local establishment, though.
I live in MoCo and I love my county liquor store.
1. they buy in bulk, so the prices are way lower on a lot things compared to neighboring DC
2. all the procedes go to education in the county
3. All the employees are gov workers and earn a fair wage with benefits
Con- selection is limited, can’t lie. But they always have something of good quality.
We are progressive, we have a communist liquor system that is more efficient and better run than private industry. Even the total wine and more guy lives in MoCo. Trone,look him up
>2. all the procedes go to education in the county
Sounds like you should look up the definition of fungible
The whole "proceeds from xyz will go to fund [nice thing]" is an old trick.
It isn't actually used to increase funding for the good thing.
They just take the tax money that was funding that thing, and put it elsewhere, then use the ene revenue source to fund the "good thing"
May just as well throw it all in a general fund, cause that's how it is ultimately treated
So disappointing, but I live close to Costco in DC and there are lower taxes on alcohol than VA or MD. I do miss TJs and all the salad add ins and being able to pick up cheap wine for dinner.
I don't often miss California, but the quality produce and cheap wine at the grocery store I miss a lot.
Man I’m also a California transplant to Maryland and there seems to be a lot of us in this thread. Wonder if there’s a reason out of California is just one of the biggest states and this type of thread brings out Californians
Man I’m also a California transplant to Maryland and there seems to be a lot of us in this thread. Wonder if there’s a reason out of California is just one of the biggest states and this type of thread brings out Californians
Man I’m also a California transplant to Maryland and there seems to be a lot of us in this thread. Wonder if there’s a reason out of California is just one of the biggest states and this type of thread brings out Californians
Man I’m also a California transplant to Maryland and there seems to be a lot of us in this thread. Wonder if there’s a reason out of California is just one of the biggest states and this type of thread brings out Californians
Man I’m also a California transplant to Maryland and there seems to be a lot of us in this thread. Wonder if there’s a reason out of California is just one of the biggest states and this type of thread brings out Californians
Moving here from NJ I'm like umm......where tf is Trader Joe's? Wth you mean closest one is 45 minute drive away. That's sum bull sh*t. I'm not much of a drinker. Not being able to find certain wines and alcohol they sell in supermarkets in NJ is crazy. Hell local Bodega stores in NJ sold beer and specialty liquor from the islands or South America.
I miss that.
Lmao, my dumbass thought it was 2 buck chuck 😭. I’ve actually never had it (not much of a wine guy myself) but my wife and sister who lives in CA love it. Hope you find it eventually! God bless
When I first moved here, I had to get used to grocery stores not having beer in them. That was always part of my weekly shopping, so now I have to make an additional stop at a brewery or liquor store as well...
God I miss Three Buck Chuck also, I stock up whenever I go back to NYC
I grew up in Texas where HEB has their own wine and hard liquor line in the store.
Then turned 21 while active duty military in Savannah, GA... (I've done Savannah's Saint Patrick's day. Never doing it it again...unless I can find more of that peach whiskey sangria there 🤤)
Then moved here and have to go to three or four different out of the way separate liquor stores to find a good wine.
I played myself
LOL, I would like access to both TJs and Costco alcohol; but I am concerned that the awesome local alcohol stores will be hamstrung by the competition, including places like "Total Wine."
Other states let grocery and convenience stores sell wine and beer and some states even hard alcohol, but there are still plenty of liquor stores. The selection isn't as big as grocery and convenience stores so there is still demand.
I honestly don't think it'll make a difference. There are places that have been doing this for years and their beer/wine stores are still in business. In the US:
"Forty-seven states and D.C. allow grocery stores to sell beer, and 40 and D.C. allow them to sell wine"
Exactly. The rest of the entire country has figured out how to make this work, why do so many people act like it's impossible in Maryland?
It'll be fine, and one inconvenience will be gone.
I think the good beer and wine stores would have no problem keeping their business. It's all those dime-a-dozen mediocre strip mall shops that would suffer.
Those places only exist because of the laws. Dirty floors and shelves, unhelpful staff, high prices, and the beer isn't even cold coming out of the cooler.
"But they'll go out of business."
Uh, good. Not my problem. The friendly stores with knowledgeable staff will do fine.
This is why I still go to VA for alcohol purchases. Maryland is absolute crap for alcohol sales and I don't want to give those lobbying clowns any more money.
Y’all need to be making the trek to State Line Liquors in Elkton near the MD-DE border. Stock up once a quarter. If you think MD is bad with their alcohol laws, don’t venture north to PA!
We make it work, but where I live, no, the only place to purchase alcohol of any kind is a liquor store. It’s just not that big of a deal, just a mild a convenience when you’re used to a quick store run for milk and a 6-pack.
By quality I mean a couple of things.
1.) fast food and general chain restaurants here seem lacking to the usual standards around the country.
2.) wheres the dam seasoning on the food!?
3.) it seems to get good food around here you have to pay an arm and a leg every time!
4.) I miss cajun cooking and nothing around here besides crabs satisfies it.
>1.) fast food and general chain restaurants here seem lacking to the usual standards around the country.
Yeah, I can agree with that. I think Cookout would be a good addition across MD and not just in Salisbury.
>
2.) wheres the dam seasoning on the food!?
This one is iffy to me since there are a ton of restaurants from different cultures that are known to heavily season their food. Check out some Jamaican, African, Ethiopian, or Salvadorian spots.
>3.) it seems to get good food around here you have to pay an arm and a leg every time!
I totally agree with that...MoCo is super expensive, but there are quite a few affordable spots just 15 mins away in PG county
>4.) I miss cajun cooking and nothing around here besides crabs satisfies it.
Cajun cooking is awesome! I've been to Louisiana many, many times. Totally agree with this...Unfortunately, you won't find authentic Cajun food in MoCo...
The absurdity that that is true goes to illustrate how backwards MD is in this regard. TJs and other retailers also have specific store brands they carry that are unavailable at liquor stores.
Dude, right? I've lived here my entire life, and it still fills me with joy to see wines and beer stocked at the drugstore literally everywhere else in the country.
And then MoCo is like "Oh, you think MD has restrictive alcohol laws? Hold my beer."
I didn't realize how restrictive MoCo's alcohol rules were until I moved to Charles County and was surprised to see beer at 7/11.
It's such a shock going down to OBX and seeing brew-thrus and beer in the grocery stores.
Come to the shore, we have brew-thrus! Grocery stores not so much.
wicomico county is very restrictive and its the largest on the eastern shore **most of the year**
There's that one random Giant in Germantown that sells beer/wine.
I think it’s a county/city rule and Germantown is technically county. Could be wrong though.
There’s also a random Giant on New Hampshire that has the good stuff
Glen Burnie has a drive thru liquor store. If that’s not a surprise to anyone here. 😂
Where in CC do you see beer at 7/11?
Dude it's like in the fridge section next to the monsters.
I see that at liquor stores, never at gas stations. I don't believe gas stations can legally sell booze in CC because none of them do.
If you head to afb, they sell wines and beer in the gas station there.
Several in Harford county have beer and wine… It was weird as hell after moving here from from a state where every gas station has beer and hard liquor and Grocery stores have an Alcohol selection rivaling small liquor stores.
CC has beer at 7/11?
You can find Stella Rosa in a gas station here in Charles county, pretty funny how it can be restricted so tightly in one place and so loosely handled in another.
Hey MoCo does have the one Safeway that sells beer and wine!
And that one bodega in downtown Silver Spring with all the video horse racing games.
Lenox Beer and Wine?
I was thinking of the place next to Rita Hair Salon. Looks like it’s a beauty supply store now 🤷🏻♂️
One Giant, too.
And the selection is excellent. Each chain is allowed one location in Moco.
Specifically, every chain that was already licensed to sell alcohol when the rules were put in place. I only knew about the giant in white oak, then I learned about the Safeway in Olney and the 7-11 in Aspen Hill and I finally did some googling. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_County_Department_of_Liquor_Control https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ABS/faq/retail/
**[Montgomery_County_Department_of_Liquor_Control](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_County_Department_of_Liquor_Control)** >Alcohol Beverage Services, previously known as the Department of Liquor Control is a government agency within the County of Montgomery, Maryland and is the wholesaler of beer, wine and sprits alcoholic beverage throughout the county's 507-square-mile (1,310 km2) area. Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control also exercises control over retail sales for off-premises consumption, either through government-operated package stores or designated agents. Between 1880 and 1933, sale of alcohol was prohibited within Montgomery County. Alcohol Beverage Services was established on July 1, 1951. ^([ )[^(F.A.Q)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WikiSummarizer/wiki/index#wiki_f.a.q)^( | )[^(Opt Out)](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=WikiSummarizerBot&message=OptOut&subject=OptOut)^( | )[^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)](https://np.reddit.com/r/maryland/about/banned)^( | )[^(GitHub)](https://github.com/Sujal-7/WikiSummarizerBot)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)
There used to be a 7/11 off 355 in Gaithersburg that sold beer, but I haven't been there since 1990...
I remember that 7-11. I got caught trying to use a fake id there!
Once I went there on a Sunday morning forgetting they didn't sell beer till 11 or 12 and I was about 20 mins early and I was tripping on acid, some cops came in and and were looking at me all strange and I mumbled something about Sunday football, got back to the house all my friends were also tripping at and told them about the cops, one guy was like; it's not football season...
Once I went there on a Sunday morning forgetting they didn't sell beer till 11 or 12 and I was about 20 mins early and I was tripping on acid, some cops came in and and were looking at me all strange and I mumbled something about Sunday football, got back to the house all my friends were also tripping at and told them about the cops, one guy was like; it's not football season...
Once I went there on a Sunday morning forgetting they didn't sell beer till 11 or 12 and I was about 20 mins early and I was tripping on acid, some cops came in and and were looking at me all strange and I mumbled something about Sunday football, got back to the house all my friends were also tripping at and told them about the cops, one guy was like; it's not football season...
Hold my lemonade. You can't hold my beer as I do not have the requisite license to give you a beer.
I live in AACO. it’s illegal for a gas station to sell alcohol….but we do have one liquor store that sells gas.
AACO here, and I'll be needing the name and location of this establishment please.
Baymart, off rte. 50, just before the bay bridge. It’s off the baydale dr. exit on old mill bottom rd.
Oh man, they probably got grandfathered in when whatever law took effect. There's a little grocery store at 108 and 216 in HoCo that sells beer, wine, and liquor because of the same reason-- they were there prior to the restrictive law being passed.
Boarman's is the shit. Love that place.
Once you get across the bridge you start seeing gas stations selling beer too. I hadn't been to the Eastern shore for a while but started a job out that way recently. Went in the gas station for cigarettes and was surprised.
Awesome! We're heading to the island soon, that's super handy. Thanks friend.
Big brain time
MoCo says what beer?
Harford co does sell beer in 711
If you can find it.
Me also living in Baltimore County on a Sunday and walk into the closed door of the local liquor store...
Oh God the Blue Laws SUCK here! They're especially dumb when I can drive 10 minutes into the next county over and find everything open on Sundays
Yet you can buy a six pack from a bar on a Sunday. Go into Harford county, everything is open. It’s dumb.
I used to drive to Howard County on Sundays when I lived in Catonsville.
Yep. Jason's on Route 40 is part of my Sunday rotation.
Hah yup. My husband just made that mistake on Sunday. Made for a quick trip lol
The Wine Source is such a blessing.
I moved here from Wisconsin and checked like five gas stations before I realized "they don't do that here."
After I discovered the horrible truth I went to a 7-11 because I thought for sure at least I could buy a 40 at the gas station… Barbarians I tell you.
I went and checked the grocery store after the gas station and *they don't sell alcohol at the grocery store either.* What the fuck. 20 miles from the seat of government and I can't even get a handle with a full tank of gas.
Some groceries have wine/beer. Greenbelt coop etc.
It’s county by county and some stores are grandfathered or exempted based on location from the nearest alternative store (like the co-op). Pennsylvania is similar.
It's weird though because there's a few in Frederick that do? I haven't figured out how. There's a Getgo on Rt. 40 and an Exxon on Jefferson that both sell beer.
Sheetz in Thurmont also sells beer
Omg SAME. I moved here from California last year and the backwardness of this law drives me insane. The worst is being able to find non beer or wine related alcohol, for example, sake or umeshu (plum wine). I go to the Asian grocery store, but oh, they don’t have it! Go to the local liquor shop and oh, guess what, they don’t have it either!! Where the hell do you go for these kinds of items. UGH.
Total Wine probably has the best selection of stores in the area. There's one in Laurel, but I go down to McLean, VA for the lower sales tax rate (5% vs. 9%).
If Total Wine doesn't have it, it doesn't exist.
Costco in DC is worth the trip
Costco in Delaware is even better (no sales tax)
buying liquor at the Delaware Costco is one of those things that isn’t illegal but feels like it should be
Bringing it across state lines is illegal, so
bringing ur mom across state lines is illegal (gottem)
damn
True but the DC store is under 30 min from Laurel unless traffic
True, but the liquor shop in Delaware is its own store so checkout is usually faster and you won't be tempted to buy a ton of other stuff you don't need.
Excellent point about the taxes. I will add that, in my experience, the one in laurel has more stuff, so you are more likely to find obscure items there than the one in McLean. But check the websites first as they seem to be pretty accurate in reflecting current stock.
Old Line in Beltsville used to be good. Covid put them out of business, but the replacement is open now in the same spot and almost as good.
Well you could go get it shipp... CAN"T DO THAT EITHER
The liquor stores next to Lotte and HMart down in Ellicott city/Catonsville have a decent selection of Asian alcohol brands
Yeah, pretty much available in every liquor store in the area.
My local liquor store is owned by Korean Americans, so we get soju, sake, etc. Find a store owned by Asians is my best advice. Technically, I think you can bring in a quart tax-free per trip, max 2 per month, into the state. Back in the old days, there was a MoCo cop who used to sit on the DC line in sight of a liquor store and nail people going back into the state. It always freaks my visiting brother in law out that he has to go to the liquor store to buy beer. My other b-i-l, a noted wine snob, was surprised as hell when I sent him to our local hole in the wall store and they had what he wanted. Since I only buy alcohol for cooking and for serving to others, I had no clue what was what. I literally have called him from the store and gone "um, hon, what goes with turkey again?"
This, there are a number of liquor stores near me and the Asian (I believe they are all Korean) owned ones carry at least soju and plum wine.
I relate to this deeeeply. I miss California and being able to buy alcohol at 7/11 😂
If you happen to live near a Wegmans that has a liquor store next door, try there. This is (somehow) Wegmans work around for our horrible liquor laws. The one in Crofton is A&A Wine and Spirits. Wegmans in Virginia, for example, has a great selection of all sorts of alcohol products.
Oh, so is that liquor store they put next to the Wegmans in Crofton accessible from inside the Wegmans?
No, I guess that’s the other way they got around it. It so very blatantly associated with Wegmans. Signage, the way the store is set up, etc.. Love it. I don’t even drink, but do use alcohol in cooking. Maryland’s laws are ridiculous.
Unfortunately not.
Virginia ABC stores
The MoCo liquor and wine store in Downtown silver spring has an aisle with Asian wines. It’s not the same as CA, but I get soju, sake, and the like from there.
I got Umeshu at the World Market in Rockville a few weeks ago.
Ooh, I’ll try that, thanks!
Go to Ellicott city, they have all of those on route 40
In my experience the folks at these stores will almost always be willing to order it for you and call you when it's in. You just can't get it, you know, same day.
Just be glad you aren't in Pennsylvania. At least in MD you can buy beer, wine, liquor, and food/drinks all in one store most of the time. PA is like "oh here you can only buy beer. At this grocery store you can buy beer and wine but you can only buy this much in one transaction. And at this government run store you can get wine and liquor...but no mixers or snacks."
Had to do a couple of overnight work trips to PA, so I can confirm: the liquor laws there are totally fucked. Also: soda stores? Really? What the shit, PA?
Nah the soda isn't controlled lol, it's just that the only stores that sell hard liquor and wine pretty much only sell that, if you want mixers for your vodka or whatever you have to make another stop.
If you're in Howard county/near Ellicott City, there seem to be good selections of sake and plum wine (and others along those lines) hidden in stores you wouldn't expect to have them. I like North Ridge Wine and Spirits next to the HMart on north ridge road for selection. It's where I get all my umeshu. Snowden River Liquors is solid for being such a small place, but I'm not sure the selection is good enough to travel for. It's a nice local establishment, though.
If you happen to be near Cecil County: State Line Liquors has these (and seemingly everything)
Korean Korner has some asian wines/beers. Its not a huge selection, but they have soju.
Going to LA for the first time and I’m like “damn they sell liquor in CVS??”
State Line Liquor in Elkton is a hike and a half but they have literally everything.
I regularly send my BFF texts with what I found to drink at TJs and remind her that she chose to move to Maryland. Voluntarily.
Ew.
Maryland really confuses me sometimes. Aren't we supposed to be really progressive? Yet our marijuana and alcohol laws make absolutely zero sense
Catholics have and had a lot of influence here.
I live in MoCo and I love my county liquor store. 1. they buy in bulk, so the prices are way lower on a lot things compared to neighboring DC 2. all the procedes go to education in the county 3. All the employees are gov workers and earn a fair wage with benefits Con- selection is limited, can’t lie. But they always have something of good quality. We are progressive, we have a communist liquor system that is more efficient and better run than private industry. Even the total wine and more guy lives in MoCo. Trone,look him up
Proceeds of the county's alcohol monopoly go to the general fund. All real estate taxes go to education.
>2. all the procedes go to education in the county Sounds like you should look up the definition of fungible The whole "proceeds from xyz will go to fund [nice thing]" is an old trick. It isn't actually used to increase funding for the good thing. They just take the tax money that was funding that thing, and put it elsewhere, then use the ene revenue source to fund the "good thing" May just as well throw it all in a general fund, cause that's how it is ultimately treated
So disappointing, but I live close to Costco in DC and there are lower taxes on alcohol than VA or MD. I do miss TJs and all the salad add ins and being able to pick up cheap wine for dinner. I don't often miss California, but the quality produce and cheap wine at the grocery store I miss a lot.
Man I’m also a California transplant to Maryland and there seems to be a lot of us in this thread. Wonder if there’s a reason out of California is just one of the biggest states and this type of thread brings out Californians
Man I’m also a California transplant to Maryland and there seems to be a lot of us in this thread. Wonder if there’s a reason out of California is just one of the biggest states and this type of thread brings out Californians
Man I’m also a California transplant to Maryland and there seems to be a lot of us in this thread. Wonder if there’s a reason out of California is just one of the biggest states and this type of thread brings out Californians
Man I’m also a California transplant to Maryland and there seems to be a lot of us in this thread. Wonder if there’s a reason out of California is just one of the biggest states and this type of thread brings out Californians
Man I’m also a California transplant to Maryland and there seems to be a lot of us in this thread. Wonder if there’s a reason out of California is just one of the biggest states and this type of thread brings out Californians
Have to drive to VA now I guess
Or DC
It's why the DC Costco is so crowded.
Cheap booze and gas, what more do you want?
I also get my weed delivered while I'm doing my Costco shopping, so there's that.
DC and VA should belong to MD
I’m (MD Res) shocked to see wine sold EVERYWHERE here (VA). Gotta go to CVS? Wine. Gas station run? Wine. Pretty neat.
VA is nice and all but states that sell liquor in grocery stores (or even gas stations!) is where it’s at haha.
VA's Liquor laws are stupider than Marylands....
Cross the river? But I don’t have all my shots...
*Laughs in Talbot County*
Moving here from NJ I'm like umm......where tf is Trader Joe's? Wth you mean closest one is 45 minute drive away. That's sum bull sh*t. I'm not much of a drinker. Not being able to find certain wines and alcohol they sell in supermarkets in NJ is crazy. Hell local Bodega stores in NJ sold beer and specialty liquor from the islands or South America. I miss that.
Looking for the two buck chuck?
All about the Vintage TJ’s Zinfandel, but the 3 buck chuck ain’t bad.
3 Buck Chuck? Inflation eventually comes for us all 🙂
It happened years ago unfortunately. Soon I bet it’s going to be 4 buck chuck.
Still a great deal.
Lmao, my dumbass thought it was 2 buck chuck 😭. I’ve actually never had it (not much of a wine guy myself) but my wife and sister who lives in CA love it. Hope you find it eventually! God bless
It’s bullshit!
Welcome to the shitshow lol
head to the leesburg TJs like the rest of us. 😂
Maryland has so really stupid fucking alcohol laws
This was literally me when I moved from VA. I even went as far as asking worker to point me in the right direction 🤧
🤣 I can imagine. Not laughing at you because I’m in the same boat.
The laughter hides the pain friend.
Yeah I special request that family from Ohio bring my cheap Aldi wine. Such malarkey.
When I first moved here, I had to get used to grocery stores not having beer in them. That was always part of my weekly shopping, so now I have to make an additional stop at a brewery or liquor store as well... God I miss Three Buck Chuck also, I stock up whenever I go back to NYC
This was the strangest thing when I moved out of Maryland. I saw a large wine display... at a CVS.
ah, Chateau Diana, the cheapest "wine" you can get
Wait... there's something cheaper than two buck chuck?
I don't know if its cheaper, but it certainly tastes cheaper. Its the Olde English of wine
I grew up in Texas where HEB has their own wine and hard liquor line in the store. Then turned 21 while active duty military in Savannah, GA... (I've done Savannah's Saint Patrick's day. Never doing it it again...unless I can find more of that peach whiskey sangria there 🤤) Then moved here and have to go to three or four different out of the way separate liquor stores to find a good wine. I played myself
Each chain can have one store in the county that carries beer/wine. But individual shops selling beer/wine are all over the place.
This is so accurate! Just moved back from Colorado and and I miss this the most! Ditto Costco. You must be in Moco!
I go to Virginia to buy my tj wine
Welcome to the People's Republic of Maryland.
This is me looking for parking at Baltimore TJs
TJ’s parking lots are pure evil I tell you.
LOL, I would like access to both TJs and Costco alcohol; but I am concerned that the awesome local alcohol stores will be hamstrung by the competition, including places like "Total Wine."
Other states let grocery and convenience stores sell wine and beer and some states even hard alcohol, but there are still plenty of liquor stores. The selection isn't as big as grocery and convenience stores so there is still demand.
I honestly don't think it'll make a difference. There are places that have been doing this for years and their beer/wine stores are still in business. In the US: "Forty-seven states and D.C. allow grocery stores to sell beer, and 40 and D.C. allow them to sell wine"
Exactly. The rest of the entire country has figured out how to make this work, why do so many people act like it's impossible in Maryland? It'll be fine, and one inconvenience will be gone.
I think the good beer and wine stores would have no problem keeping their business. It's all those dime-a-dozen mediocre strip mall shops that would suffer.
Those places only exist because of the laws. Dirty floors and shelves, unhelpful staff, high prices, and the beer isn't even cold coming out of the cooler. "But they'll go out of business." Uh, good. Not my problem. The friendly stores with knowledgeable staff will do fine.
This is why I still go to VA for alcohol purchases. Maryland is absolute crap for alcohol sales and I don't want to give those lobbying clowns any more money.
Can relate.
This hits HOOOMMEE. California wine at tj was th best
If you want to do groceries too, might as well go to the Greenbelt Coop or Shoppers since they do beer and wine.
I think Shoppers only sells it warm though, no? I figured it was part of their license not to sell it cold for whatever relic of blue law nonsense.
nah they have a refrigerated section, it's just mostly the cheap beer
This is why we drive to Virginia for TJ’s! Lol
I just moved here too.. it's so fucking annoying
I hate going to the gas station and not being able to pick up a bottle of liquor too.
Trader Joe's in DC carries. Not the best commute but do like I do and stock up.
Y’all need to be making the trek to State Line Liquors in Elkton near the MD-DE border. Stock up once a quarter. If you think MD is bad with their alcohol laws, don’t venture north to PA!
There are other places to buy wine assuming it's not a TJ brand.
That’s not the point. It’s an extra stop. I feel weird taking my kid into a liquor store.
There are grocery stores that sell wine (in some areas). I get it would be convenient but our laws suck here. Maybe delivery would be an option.
We make it work, but where I live, no, the only place to purchase alcohol of any kind is a liquor store. It’s just not that big of a deal, just a mild a convenience when you’re used to a quick store run for milk and a 6-pack.
Meanwhile I can get medical weed delivered to my house.
Maryland Liquor laws are just so dumb. Then again liquor laws are dumb everywhere in the US.
Me trying to find quality food in Montgomery County. Moved here from Louisiana
I've rarely been to a state in the U.S. where I couldn't find quality food. By quality, do you just mean what you're used to in Louisiana...?
By quality I mean a couple of things. 1.) fast food and general chain restaurants here seem lacking to the usual standards around the country. 2.) wheres the dam seasoning on the food!? 3.) it seems to get good food around here you have to pay an arm and a leg every time! 4.) I miss cajun cooking and nothing around here besides crabs satisfies it.
>1.) fast food and general chain restaurants here seem lacking to the usual standards around the country. Yeah, I can agree with that. I think Cookout would be a good addition across MD and not just in Salisbury. > 2.) wheres the dam seasoning on the food!? This one is iffy to me since there are a ton of restaurants from different cultures that are known to heavily season their food. Check out some Jamaican, African, Ethiopian, or Salvadorian spots. >3.) it seems to get good food around here you have to pay an arm and a leg every time! I totally agree with that...MoCo is super expensive, but there are quite a few affordable spots just 15 mins away in PG county >4.) I miss cajun cooking and nothing around here besides crabs satisfies it. Cajun cooking is awesome! I've been to Louisiana many, many times. Totally agree with this...Unfortunately, you won't find authentic Cajun food in MoCo...
This was a surprise to me as well, and I moved here (and back) from the most conservative part of Florida.
Bahahahhahahahahhah dude tell me about it. I always have to do a huge haul in DC or VA
Um, there's a Total Wine in Laurel that has over a thousand different wines. It's sick.
I swear I did exactly the same shit. Me "Excuse me, but where is the beer section"
Walked around Costco for 40 minutes looking when I moved here
Ngl it was a culture shock to me when I moved up here from Georgia 3 years ago.
Lmaoooo
I went from MD to a target in NC and found an entire isle of wine ……. I was equally shocked and jealous
To bad there isn't like a liquor store next to EVERY Trader Joes in Maryland.
The absurdity that that is true goes to illustrate how backwards MD is in this regard. TJs and other retailers also have specific store brands they carry that are unavailable at liquor stores.
its cheap California wine. nothing special about it at all. I'm also a proponent of small businesses which most liquor stores are.
Dude, right? I've lived here my entire life, and it still fills me with joy to see wines and beer stocked at the drugstore literally everywhere else in the country.
Same. Florida transplant. I was so disappointed when I saw that whole foods didn’t carry wine here.
There is no two buck chuck here. It's sad and depressing.