Takoma's carry-out alcohol sales ban lifted

The Takoma Park town council voted Monday night to eliminate most, but not all, of the Maryland suburb’s century-old ban on carry-out alcohol sales. If the change is approved by the state legislature, local restaurants would be able for the first time to apply for a license to sell beer and wine for customers to take away.

But the council, citing concerns over public drinking and loitering, stopped short of allowing other retailers in on the relaxed rules, notably convenience stores in the historic downtown business quarter that may have wanted to add beer coolers or wine to their stock. The popular Takoma Park-Silver Co-Op, which had expressed interest in selling organic beer and wine, will not be eligible to do so. Hard liquor sales, which in Montgomery County are restricted to county-owned package stores, are not affected by the proposed change.

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