Why some Maryland grocery stores sell beer and wine

Affordable wines from Trader Joe’s and Costco are staples elsewhere in the country, but in Maryland, grocery store alcohol is a delicacy.

Maryland is one of the few states in the U.S. that don’t allow beer and wine sales in most grocery stores. Lawmakers have tried to overturn the law for almost as long as the ban has been in effect. They have failed every year.

The Maryland General Assembly debated the latest iteration of the bill, dubbed the Alcoholic Beverages Modernization Act of 2026, this week, but the legislation again appears stalled.

Even with the statewide ban, a handful of grocery stores in the state sell alcohol. Here’s why and which ones.

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When did Maryland ban the sale of alcohol in grocery stores?

In the late 1970s, tavern owners and operators of packaged goods stores quietly lobbied the General Assembly to revoke food chains’ right to apply for liquor licenses, according to newspaper archives. Several of the delegates were former liquor store owners, The Baltimore Sun reported, and with about 6,000 liquor stores at the time, the lobbyists were a “potent force in Annapolis.”

Legislators nixed the clause that allowed chains to have a liquor license in 1978. Under the revision, only Maryland residents can have liquor licenses, and they can only hold one.

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Some establishments that applied for a liquor license before the revision are exempt from the ban.

Why does this bill come up every year?

Most states in the U.S. allow the sale of at least beer and wine in grocery stores, albeit with some restrictions. In Maryland, liquor store owners and lobbyists argue that allowing grocery stores to have liquor licenses would hurt small businesses, while major retailers and advocates say the change would be more convenient for consumers.

Over the past two decades, lawmakers have regularly introduced legislation to allow beer and wine in grocery stores. Gov. Wes Moore has even expressed support.

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“Maryland is one of only states in the nation that bans the sale of beer and wine in grocery stores — it’s time for a change,” Moore said on social media in December 2024.

Bills in Maryland’s House and Senate both failed in early 2025 after not receiving enough committee votes. It’s unclear whether this year’s attempt will be any different.

Which grocery stores sell alcohol in Maryland?

So why can that one Safeway on the way home from work sell beer and wine? Businesses that received a liquor license before 1978 are exempt from the law. Some grocers have also been able to find workarounds, such as attaching liquor stores that are a separate business.

There’s also general ambiguity on the definition of what constitutes a grocery store. Each county, plus Baltimore City, has a liquor board that enforces the law, and different zoning authorities have different codes for retailers.

It’s unclear how many grocery stores in the state sell beer and wine, but it’s a small percentage of the thousands in the state.

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State officials maintain a list based on information provided by the counties, but it’s not exhaustive. It also includes other types of stores, such as convenience stores and pharmacies, that can sell beer and wine because their licenses predate the ban.

The liquor boards for Carroll, Howard, Harford and Baltimore counties told The Banner there are no grocery stores selling beer and wine in their regions. The Calvert County liquor board confirmed that at least one grocery store, Nick’s of Calvert, sells alcohol, as do some convenience stores.

Eddie’s of Roland Park is the only grocery store in Baltimore City that sells beer and wine.

The Anne Arundel and Prince George’s liquor boards did not respond to requests for information, and Montgomery County’s liquor board said they don’t have a list.

Talbot County is the only county where you can buy alcohol and beer in many grocery stores, due to a local provision, according to the Alcohol, Tobacco and Cannabis Commission.

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Here are some of the grocery stores where you can buy alcohol, for your convenience. Let us know of others in your area.