reddit post?

Yes. Not owned or operated by Wegmans though.

Woah, where is this? On the second floor?

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I saw that the other day from McGaw road. Was in today (10/29) and walked to the area on the second floor where they've always envisioned it to be. Nothing. Nada, zip, zilch.

Has anyone seen/heard anything from HoCo on a waiver for their license?

It’s not open. There’s not even a door. But if you look through the window on the second floor you can see wine on shelves.

I just don't understand how this would work in Maryland. Now, in Viginia, Wegmans does have full bars.

PA too.

The Loft is not owned by Wegmans. It is owned by the same people that had Cindy's just off Washington Blvd. in the same shopping center as GreenValley grocery. They went through a very lengthy process to get the license including public meetings.

It's going to be a "different" store. It's not Wegmans. It's "The Loft".

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I asked the people worked here and they said they are planning for opening around mid November

They got denied years and years ago when Wegmans first opened. Is this a new application?

I remember it was all in the news when Wegmans first opened that there might be a liquor store in it. The liquor store was supposedly owned by the wife of the lawyer of the CEO of Wegmans or something like that.

Tried going in today. Not open.

Stupid MD laws not allowing chain stores to sell alcohol. Most places at least allow beer and wine sales.

At the Harris Teeter in South Baltimore (McHenry Row), they had a beer and wine store that was owned and operated by a separate vendor, but you could get to it from inside via a sliding glass door. Probably same model here.

It’s a separate store with a separate entrance. You can’t access it from inside wegmans. When it opens you can take a staircase or the elevator from the first floor of wegmans near the prepared foods to the second floor then go outside and in a separate door to the liquor store.

Beer and liquor licensing in Maryland is entirely corrupt. The industry dominates heavily to political canidates.

I swung by it the other day: Opening early november (they are already stocking up). To get to it, take the ramp to the second level of parking and head to the far side of the lot. They have walled off this part of the upper floor, so you can only get there from the outside now I believe.

I went in and talked to them, they are still building it out. They said it will be a couple of months, but it’s moving forward.

Same

I used to live near Cindy's and it was my go-to liquor store. The staff was always nice and they had a great selection. When I heard they were moving to the Wegman's location I was happy for them.

The new owners of Sandy’s (formerly Cindy’s) are fantastic as well

Oh they are finally moving forward with this! That’s what the intention of the space was for when they opened this Wegmans years ago, but they’ve just been using it mainly for storage since. Looking forward to the new place.

It’s a county thing, not state. You can buy beer and wine in PG County grocery stores

Since when? I know you can in DC, never seen it in PG tho

Never denied, just contested, with a lot of appeals. They finally won! But will be a completely separate business.

So it basically took them like 8 years to get approved?

Not really, there are a few exceptions like Giant in White Oak in MoCo that are grandfathered in and some Eastern shore stores that are exempt , but chain stores are prohibited in most of MD. If you see it in PG, likely not a chain store.

It’s Giant and Shoppers in PG—both chain stores. It’s not every location, but the point is that there’s not a statewide ban on alcohol sales on grocery stores. Many of the rural counties have no restrictions at all.

I've heard to expect the same once marijuana is legalized as well. The state is going to try to earn as much money off of it as possible. Limited vendors/providers, high taxes on them and then also products.

Think of how liquor is handled in Montgomery County. It won't be county/state stores, but they'll essentially be contractors with how much oversight and influence the state and county governments will have over them.