So this is an odd question. And perhaps not really worthy of your time. But why oh why don’t Maryland Trader Joe’s sell beer and wine? You can buy beer and wine at other grocery stores. I’m thinking it must be some regulation against discount beer and wine. But I’d love to know, without actually going to a TJ’s in Maryland. I mean, hey, one of the main reasons to go to Trader Joe’s is for the cheap but good beer. Why waste a trip just to ask a question?

Not an odd question, but a complicated web of laws to untangle when researching the answer. We spoke to a Trader Joe’s rep who told us that the retailer would love to bring their signature wine and beer specials to Maryland, but the state’s current laws don’t allow for that.

Maryland’s liquor laws are definitely a confusing lot, as each county oversees its own set of laws, in addition to state laws. Come on, 495 pages of laws?! (Yeah, that needs an interrobang for emphasis.) Specifically, Maryland’s D.C.-metro Trader Joe’s stores are currently in Montgomery County — Bethesda, Gaithersburg, Rockville and Silver Spring — and within the county, most beer, wine and liquor must be purchased from 25 retail stores run by the Department of Liquor Control. In addition to the DLC stores, there are four grocery stores in the county exempt from this restriction because their licenses were obtained prior to the law change in 1951, and a scattering of stores with exempted (restricted?) licenses because they stock specialty merchandise. Ask DCist was unable to get specifics on these at posting time due to a rousing game of phone-and-go-seek. Will update when we reach home base.

So in short, no Two Buck Chuck for you Maryland!