Last week, the Shank reported on a new Baltimore city proposal from city health officials that would shut down 130 local businesses by changing city zoning that previously grandfathered in some liquor stores so that they would no longer be allowed to do business as liquor stores in the communities they have been serving for decades.

Proponents of this policy are trying to paint this as a picture of the city trying to shut down predatory, bulletproof plexiglass cash wrap liquor stores.

In the greater Hampden-area (including Medfield and Woodberry), here are the 3 stores the city has targeted for shutting down - none of them are of the bulletproof plexiglass cashwrap variety.

Roland Park Liquors (Roland Ave.) - Next to the Wine Source, my favorite North Baltimore liquor store. In a limited amount of space, they fit in a good variety of interesting beer, wine and spirits.



The Wine Underground (Evans Chapel Rd.) - One of the more popular liquor stores in the neighborhood. Regularly hosts wine-tastings.

JT's (Falls Rd.) - JT's could be prettier, but it's not just a liquor store, it's also a market and carryout, so it provides the neighborhood with food. In fact, I've ordered lunch from them several times - and those lunches were salads.

If you haven't already done so, please contact your city council representative and urge them to continue to honor the decades old grandfather clause that allows these liquor stores to exist in our community.



Mary Pat Clarke

Nick Mosby

Baltimore City Council Directory