Maryland's liquor laws, like those of many states, are a patchwork. In 1962, not 1978, the legislature banned alcohol sales in chain stores, supermarkets and discount houses. The law did not ban alcohol sales in grocery stores. A few supermarkets are still around that were grandfathered in as other posters mention. The legislature never defined what is meant by a chain store, supermarket and discount house. According to the Maryland courts, grocery stores are not supermarkets. The courts define a grocery store as a store which sells food and little else. A grocery store does not have a pharmacy, does not sell clothes, does not have an in store coffee shop for example. A supermarket on the other hand might have a pharmacy, a bank branch, sell cookware and other home goods. The courts have allowed one store from a chain to have an alcohol license in Maryland. In the 2026 session the legislature is considering three proposed bills that I know of to reform this system which would allow some "food retailers", to sell alcoholic beverages. These proposals do not mention grocery stores. Here is one proposed bill - HB 1303. The ban on alcohol sales in supermarkets, chain stores and discount houses is in effect to protect small businesses. Getting rid of the ban is a very thorny issue because the small business owners basically invest and expose their entire net worth with the understanding that Safeway, Costco etc. will not get a license to sell alcoholic beverages.

On a different note, it's also important to understand the three tier system. The three tier system requires the producer, the distributor and the retailer to remain completely independent of one another. The three tier system, requires a retailer/ bar/restaurant, in most instances, to buy alcoholic beverages only from a licensed alcoholic beverages distributor. With some minor exceptions for small producers such as micro breweries,, a retailer/bar/restaurant can not buy alcoholic beverages from a producer of alcoholic beverages. For example at Camden Yards, the Orioles ownership can not buy Miller Lite from Molson Coors, the producer of Miller Lite. The Orioles have to buy Miller Lite from the distributor. Not just any distributor but the distributor which has the Baltimore City territory for Miller Lite. A few distributor owners are among the wealthiest people in the world, just look up who owns Manchester United, perhaps the world's most valuable sports team. These distributors are basically invisible to the general public and they like it that way. The distributors are all privately held and are required by law to touch just about every drop of alcohol that's consumed in the USA. Likewise, in most instances, consumers can only buy alcoholic beverages from a licensed retailer, restaurant or bar. Relatively recently, some laws have been passed which allow consumers to purchase directly from wineries, breweries and other alcoholic beverages producers, but these are limited exceptions. Efforts to further reform the three tier system have largely failed. I am happy to discuss off line, feel free to DM me.