Why is MontCo in the hard alcohol business?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it’s in the nature of liberal democrats to micromanage people’s lives. Right down to what they’re allowed to drink ad where they can buy it.

Dumb response. DC is more liberal and doesn't have these restrictions.

And Utah is one of the most republican states and has the absolute strictest and quirkiest rules (eg, cocktails at a bar can’t be mixed in public view).

When I lived in SC, all liquor by the drink had to be poured from sealed mini bottles. Welcome to the $30 Long Island Iced Tea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If You want To Change simply start A Petition.

I think Virginia is also in the liquor business for the extra $$$

It’s definately the money.

Can you really no buy beer and wine in the grocery store in MD? That is crazy.

There are a few grandfathered licenses. Balduccis has one. Magruders used to be able to. Talbert’s on river Rd has one.

It’s why the Trader Joe’s in MoCo don’t sell wine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it’s in the nature of liberal democrats to micromanage people’s lives. Right down to what they’re allowed to drink ad where they can buy it.

Dumb response. DC is more liberal and doesn't have these restrictions.

And Utah is one of the most republican states and has the absolute strictest and quirkiest rules (eg, cocktails at a bar can’t be mixed in public view).

When I lived in SC, all liquor by the drink had to be poured from sealed mini bottles. Welcome to the $30 Long Island Iced Tea.

Although another of their weird rules is no more than 1.5 oz of alcohol in a cocktail. So that makes for a pretty weak Long Island ice tea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If You want To Change simply start A Petition.

I think Virginia is also in the liquor business for the extra $$$

It’s definately the money.

Can you really no buy beer and wine in the grocery store in MD? That is crazy.

There are a few grandfathered licenses. Balduccis has one. Magruders used to be able to. Talbert’s on river Rd has one.

It’s why the Trader Joe’s in MoCo don’t sell wine.

Chain retailers are only issued 1 license for the entire chain. The 7-11 on 97 in Aspen Hill sells beer, and I think the Giant’s license is used at a location in White Oak. Single location groceries like the Grosvenor Market and the now closed Chevy Chase Supermarket can sell beer and wine.

[Anonymous]

There would be more liquor sales in MC if MC got out of the business. The unionized workers would be the first to be hired, as they presumably know how to sell liquor. It is simply absurd for MC to be in this business. It limits the choices for residents. It no doubt increases the costs for residents. And it certainly encourages MC residents to shop elsewhere, meaning MC loses business. At university in MA, we regularly traveled to NH to buy liquor because of prices and taxes. MC residents do the same thing here. I have lived in MC for 20+ years, and I know no one who shops regularly at these stores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it’s in the nature of liberal democrats to micromanage people’s lives. Right down to what they’re allowed to drink ad where they can buy it.

Dumb response. DC is more liberal and doesn't have these restrictions.

DC is definitely not more liberal than MoCo. It’s got more black people, but more black people does not mean more liberal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because of unions, MCGEO specifically. The county liquor stores employ 300 union workers. No one has the guts to privatize as everyone knows if the county has to compete with private sellers, the private sellers will outperform them and the county stores will quickly go out of business.

Have you ever even been to a MoCo liquor store? They're the cheapest in the DC area by far except for maybe Costco, but Costco's selection is poor and only sells handles.

They're already competing with the private sellers in DC and beating the pants off them price-wise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because of unions, MCGEO specifically. The county liquor stores employ 300 union workers. No one has the guts to privatize as everyone knows if the county has to compete with private sellers, the private sellers will outperform them and the county stores will quickly go out of business.

Have you ever even been to a MoCo liquor store? They're the cheapest in the DC area by far except for maybe Costco, but Costco's selection is poor and only sells handles.

They're already competing with the private sellers in DC and beating the pants off them price-wise.

The data doesn't support that. MoCo had a liquor store in Friendship Heights, literally one block from the DC line. They shut it down due to lack of sufficient sales. Anyone that close to DC just went to DC to buy their liquor. Maybe it's not price but rather selection and service, but the point is, the county-run liquor stores aren't competitive, in consumers' eyes, compared to the non-monopoly stores in DC.

[Anonymous]

Here's the article about it:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/news/montgomery-countys-liquor-store-in-chevy-chase-to-close-sunday/

"The location, steps from the Friendship Heights Metro station and Washington, D.C., line, was criticized in a 2014 report commissioned by the DLC that revealed it lost $278,431 in 2013. It was the only one of the county’s 22 retail locations to lose money that year. The report recommended closing the store once its lease ended."

[Anonymous]

This has been a debate for decades. It is a revenue generator for MoCo, and MoCo doesn't want to lose it.
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/government/county-liquor-exec-fires-back-over-groups-call-to-exit-alcohol-business/

The leader of Montgomery County’s Department of Liquor Control says the department received an unfair evaluation by a pro-business advocacy group that argued the county should end its wholesale and retail liquor monopoly.

Robert Dorfman, who was appointed to the job in late 2016, objects to the use of the label “monopoly.” He said 17 states have total control of liquor businesses.

“People talk about Montgomery County, because it’s the only county in the country with a monopoly,” he said. “One-third of the United States operates like we do.”

A report last week from Empower Montgomery on the overall county business climate suggested the liquor operation could be run more efficiently if it was in private hands, a position that has been debated for decades.

The department generates about $30 million in net profit each year, according to Dorfman.

Sales revenue, he said, typically totals around $300 million, with most of that money being used for operating expenses and products.

Between fiscal 2007 and 2017, operating expenses rose from $180.2 million to $273.8 million, the Empower Montgomery report noted. In each year, the report noted that the department expenses represented the largest share among all “business-type activities,” or those that generate revenue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's the article about it:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/news/montgomery-countys-liquor-store-in-chevy-chase-to-close-sunday/

"The location, steps from the Friendship Heights Metro station and Washington, D.C., line, was criticized in a 2014 report commissioned by the DLC that revealed it lost $278,431 in 2013. It was the only one of the county’s 22 retail locations to lose money that year. The report recommended closing the store once its lease ended."

I would wager a guess and say that was because it was a horrible location. Invisible from the street and located in a neighborhood that is like 90% elderly retirees, pus in a brand new building so the rent was probably sky high. As far as I can tell MoCo DLC has little or no advertising budget so they certainly didn't put any effort into letting people know that store even existed. As the article you linked states, it was the only county store to lose money, all the rest are doing fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the article about it:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/news/montgomery-countys-liquor-store-in-chevy-chase-to-close-sunday/

"The location, steps from the Friendship Heights Metro station and Washington, D.C., line, was criticized in a 2014 report commissioned by the DLC that revealed it lost $278,431 in 2013. It was the only one of the county’s 22 retail locations to lose money that year. The report recommended closing the store once its lease ended."

I would wager a guess and say that was because it was a horrible location. Invisible from the street and located in a neighborhood that is like 90% elderly retirees, pus in a brand new building so the rent was probably sky high. As far as I can tell MoCo DLC has little or no advertising budget so they certainly didn't put any effort into letting people know that store even existed. As the article you linked states, it was the only county store to lose money, all the rest are doing fine.

+1 and the parking at that shopping center is a horrible PITA. I would never go there to get a case of wine and have to put it to my car. There’s really not a great place for a liquor store on the MD side of Friendship Heights anymore.

[Anonymous]

^^^should be “lug” it to my car.

The DC stores near it do have better wine selection but not better liquor prices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the article about it:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/news/montgomery-countys-liquor-store-in-chevy-chase-to-close-sunday/

"The location, steps from the Friendship Heights Metro station and Washington, D.C., line, was criticized in a 2014 report commissioned by the DLC that revealed it lost $278,431 in 2013. It was the only one of the county’s 22 retail locations to lose money that year. The report recommended closing the store once its lease ended."

I would wager a guess and say that was because it was a horrible location. Invisible from the street and located in a neighborhood that is like 90% elderly retirees, pus in a brand new building so the rent was probably sky high. As far as I can tell MoCo DLC has little or no advertising budget so they certainly didn't put any effort into letting people know that store even existed. As the article you linked states, it was the only county store to lose money, all the rest are doing fine.

And yet, all the DC liquor stores just across the border seem to be doing fine...

Maybe it was a bad location and bad marketing -- because the government isn't great at those tasks typically done by a privately-run business -- another reason for the government to get out of the business.

MoCo would make money if the set up a monopoly on gas stations, grocery stores, and furniture stores. They'd make millions! Yet no one is pushing for this -- because the government shouldn't be in businesses that private industry can run better, except in rare cases like security/defense.

[Anonymous]

Apparently, we’re not supposed to call it “hard liquor” anymore. The PC term now is “spirits.”