County-run liquor stores in Rockville and Germantown are closing their doors due to bigger stores that have opened nearby.

WASHINGTON — Montgomery County’s Department of Liquor Control is closing two county-run liquor stores and is holding inventory-reduction sales at both locations.

The stores being closed are close to bigger, recently opened stores.

Pike Liquor & Wine, at 832-836 Rockville Pike in Rockville, and Milestone Liquor & Wine, at 20946 Frederick Road in Germantown, will close May 26.

In 2016, the department opened one of its newest retailer stores in downtown Rockville less than 2 miles from the Rockville Pike location. DLC’s Seneca Meadows store on Seneca Meadows Parkway opened in 2013 and is across the street from the to-be-closed Milestone store.

“One of the DLC’s central goals is to ensure that we are driving profitable sales,” said Robert Dorfman, director of the DLC. “And in order to do so, we must consider the proximity between stores, our geographic footprint, as well as the appearance and functionality of our stores.”

DLC operates more than two dozen liquor stores in Montgomery County. Employees at the two stores being closed will be transferred to other locations.

The inventory-reduction sale will run throughout May.

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