Announcer 0:00

Welcome to Spirited Discussions, a podcast by Alcohol Beverage Services, exploring alcohol products, trends, and policies in Montgomery County.

Jocelyn Rawat 0:12

Thank you for joining us for our inaugural episode of Spirited Discussions. I'm your host, Jocelyn Rawat. We have a big range of topics to discuss in our upcoming episodes, but first, let's take a moment to understand what Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services is. I'm joined by the director of ABS, Kathie Durbin, and communications manager Melissa Romeo. Welcome, Kathie and Melissa, and thanks for being our first guests.

Kathie Durbin 0:35

Thank you. Thanks for having us.

Jocelyn Rawat 0:37

Okay, so Alcohol Beverage Services has three main functions: retail, wholesale, and licensing and regulation. People are probably most familiar with the ABS retail stores, so let's start there. Kathie, tell us more about ABS retail.

Kathie Durbin 0:52

Sure, there are currently 27 ABS retail stores located in the county. Strategically placed by population. They are easily accessible without saturating the community with a liquor store on every corner. So that's in addition to privately owned beer and wine stores? Yeah, although there are many privately owned beer and wine stores in Montgomery County, the ABS stores are the only place to purchase carry-out liquor by the bottle.

Jocelyn Rawat 1:16

Okay. And what I like about these stores, um, whenever I go in there, it seems like they're having a tasting. Is that pretty common in the stores?

Kathie Durbin 1:23

It absolutely is. Um, the stores have a large selection of local products, beer, wine, and liquor. We do everything possible to support local manufacturers. The store acts as an introduction to new products and an important outlet to increase their visibility. There are regular tastings opportunities in all of the stores, showcasing local and national products. This is a great opportunity to discover new flavors and hear the story behind the products.

Jocelyn Rawat 1:50

Okay, so I've uh had the opportunity to visit some of our new stores at uh Cavanjan, Montrose, and Gathersburg, and they are really elegant, lovely spaces. Um, is ABS planning to upgrade all of the stores to that new brand, Oak Barrel and Vine?

Kathie Durbin 2:03

Yes, we're renovating and converting all of our stores to the Oak Barrel and Vine brand. The new stores are designed to be more than just a place to shop. We want them to feel like a neighborhood spot where customers can enjoy a pleasant and engaging experience. And as always, staff are trained to provide product knowledge and excellent customer service.

Jocelyn Rawat 2:22

That's great. They really are lovely. If you haven't been yet, I encourage everyone to stop by one of the new stores. Um, so these stores sometimes offer sales and promotions. So, Melissa, how can customers find out when their favorite product is on sale?

Melissa Romeo 2:34

The best way is to sign up for our What's in store, which is a weekly newsletter that can get automatically emailed to you every week. You can sign up very easily directly on our website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov slash abs slash join. You can also find us on numerous social media platforms. Um, on Facebook and Instagram, you can find us on our handle at ABS Montgomery County and on X and Pinterest, our handle is at ABS Moco.

Jocelyn Rawat 3:06

Okay, I'll sign myself up. Okay, so people might be a little bit less familiar with the wholesale operations of ABS, except for maybe seeing our delivery trucks on the road. Melissa, what is ABS's wholesale function?

Melissa Romeo 3:17

So we have over a thousand licensed establishments here in Montgomery County, which are restaurants, beer and wine stores, and specialty venues. All of our licensed establishments do purchase their alcohol from the ABS warehouse, which many of our licensees do find it super convenient because we also have a 24-hour online ordering system, which we like to call iStore. Or they also have the option to connect directly with our communications center staff, and there we are able to assist with orders, questions, or any inquiries that they may have. All of our licensees' products are delivered every week, free of charge for them. Um so we really are a one-stop shop for all of our customers.

Jocelyn Rawat 3:58

So IBS has a large warehouse and a fleet of trucks to get this done. Is it true that employees are working around the clock to get products to licensed establishments?

Melissa Romeo 4:06

Absolutely. Yes, they are. Um, our employees do work overnight to load the trucks to get them on the road by 6 30 a.m. Our drivers make about 1,200 stops, delivering more than 78,000 cases of products per week. It's pretty amazing. Wow, that's a lot.

Jocelyn Rawat 4:20

Um, so maybe that's why I've heard alcohol beverage services referred to um both as a government and as a business. So, Kathie, which is it? Government or business?

Kathie Durbin 4:29

So um, we are both. Similar to other control systems, we operate within a government framework, but we run with business principles. We have authority for regulation and enforcement, ensuring compliance with state and local laws, and support important government priorities like advancing economic development and contributing financially to county programs. We also engage in business activities like running the retail stores, we talked about earlier, and providing services to our businesses and community. Okay, so that it's government. Does that mean that it's supported by our tax dollars? ABS is not supported by tax dollars. In fact, ABS contributes about $35 million annually to resident services that would otherwise be paid for by tax dollars. It contributes an additional $4 million to debt service that pays for long-term capital projects like roads and bridges. This means that if you live in Montgomery County, you benefit from the ABS system, even if you don't purchase alcohol.

Jocelyn Rawat 5:33

Wow, that seems uh worth saying twice. If you live in Montgomery County, you benefit from ABS whether you buy alcohol or not. Um okay, so we've talked about retail and wholesale. So that's two of the department's main functions. Kathie, tell us about the third one, which is licensing and regulation.

Kathie Durbin 5:49

Yeah, um, so the ABS provides essential support to the Board of Licensed Commissioners, which is commonly referred to as the Liquor Board. It's an independent body that's appointed by the county executive and confirmed by the county council. The liquor board is responsible for approving alcohol licenses and determines penalties when there are violations of its rules. Every jurisdiction in Maryland has similar boards. As part of our support to the liquor board, ABS staff handles the preparation, research, and administrative tasks to ensure the board has all necessary information and resources to make informed decisions. State mandated inspections are conducted to ensure businesses are complying with alcohol laws as well. So does that mean that ABS decides who gets an alcohol license? Um, that decision belongs solely to the liquor board. The board conducts hearings and makes the decisions that they believe are consistent with state law and benefit the county. The vast majority of applications are approved.

Jocelyn Rawat 6:48

So you both have been at ABS for a long time. What's one thing you've learned that you think Montgomery County residents might not know about? Melissa, I'll start with you.

Melissa Romeo 6:56

Okay. Um, so I find it amazing that ABS has almost 11,500 products on hand in our warehouse. Our selection really is great. We can also special order any item that you desire as long as it's able to be sold in the state of Maryland. You just have to go and visit your local ABS retail store, and we'll be happy to order it for you.

Jocelyn Rawat 7:19

Okay. So, Kathie, how about you? Um, what's what's something that you've learned along the way that you think that Montgomery County residents might not know about?

Kathie Durbin 7:27

So many things. I've been a resident my whole life. Um I've worked for um ABS for over 20 years, and before that, I managed several restaurants in the community. I've learned how much we really do support local business and the community. The County Alcohol System, which was established immediately following prohibition, was created to ensure health and safety of the community by regulating the distribution of sale of alcohol. The system was designed to prevent illegal sales, promote responsible consumption, and reduce alcohol-related harm. And as an added benefit, profits from the system are poured back into the community to support local programs.

Jocelyn Rawat 8:06

I see what you did there. Okay. Um thank you, Kathie Durbin and Melissa Romeo, for being our first guests on the podcast.

Kathie Durbin 8:15

Thank you.

Jocelyn Rawat 8:15

Thanks for having us. Okay, if there's a topic you'd like us to cover on Spirited Discussions, email us at ABS.Spirited Discussions@Montgomery County MD.gov. And thanks for listening.

Announcer 8:28

Alcohol Beverage Services is the alcohol wholesaler of beer, wine, and spirits for Montgomery County. And it operates neighborhood retail stores. ABS also manages alcohol licensing, enforcement, and education for more than 1,000 businesses. Its profits are used to pay for resident services that otherwise would be funded by county tax dollars.