Wicomico restaurant owners hoping they can continue to-go liquor sales

WICOMICO COUNTY, Md.- Will to go liquor sales for Wicomico restaurants continue?

That was a topic discussed Tuesday morning in a Zoom meeting with the state delegation, the Chamber of Commerce, and restaurant owners.

“Just trying to get organized so next week when the liquor board has their public hearing we all have a unified voice and everyone understands where we are and the real need for the restaurant industry to continue to have this privilege,” John Knorr, the co-founder of Evolution Craft Brewery, said.

Governor Larry Hogan announced the state of emergency will end July first.

But when that goes, so will his executive order to allow restaurants to do to-go alcoholic beverages.

However this year, the General Assembly passed legislation to allow that service to continue through June of 2023, if counties choose to do so.

“The bill that we passed was enabling legislation, so it doesn’t require the county to allow the restaurants to sell to go go alcohol,” Delegate Christopher Adams, said.

With the decision lying in the hands of the Wicomico Board of License Commissioners to continue this to-go-alcohol service, we’re told by some, it’s a service that’s made a difference.

“So, we are looking to recover over the next couple years and this is a great way for us to give us some extra revenue to keep boosting our sales to move forward,” Knorr said.

“There have been no issues, the federal money is dried up and there’s no guarantee that it’s coming back, we want to employ people in our restaurant industry,” Bill Chambers, with Salisbury Chamber of Commerce, said.

The Wicomico Board of License Commissioners said they will have a public hearing about this issue on June 29.

But until then, local officials said they will remain optimistic

“We are hopeful that when the alcoholic license commission meets again at the end or July that they will set up a process that is fair, that is balanced,” Chambers said.

While Wicomico still hasn’t made a decision for this service, Worcester County has.

They will be expiring their local executive order to continue to-go-carry out and delivery for alcoholic drinks.

There are a list of proposed rules and regulations on the county page the commissioners put out about this to-go- service.

Knorr sayid he urging the board to reconsider the amount of drinks allowed to go, than what is being proposed.