Op-Ed: Small business vital to state's liquor retailing

Chuck Ferrar, president of Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits and member of the Reform on Tap task force, shares his small business success story and the contributions of local businesses like his to the state.

My family has owned Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits in Annapolis for 26 years, so I know the hard work that goes into running a small business in Maryland. Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits stocks wine, beer and spirits, but it is more than that; it is part of the fabric of the community. Many of our longtime customers have become dear friends.

My business is committed to strengthening the local community and the economy. We have 33 employees in stable, high-wage jobs, some of whom have worked with us for almost as long as we have existed. Our longest tenured employee has been with us 23 years.

Together, Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits and the other locally owned bars, taverns and package stores in Maryland employ thousands and generate millions of dollars for the state. My family has grown our successful small business under the current framework of laws that regulate alcohol in Maryland.

I joined the Reform on Tap Task Force to speak up for the small business owners in our state who work hard and play by the rules. Small businesses are the core of Maryland's wine, beer and spirits industry.

Unlike many other states whose alcohol is sold through giant corporate chains like Wal-Mart, 7-Eleven and dollar stores, local Marylanders own our liquor stores. The same goes for our bar and taverns. We're small businesses that create local jobs, contribute millions to the state's economy and give back to our community.

Some folks have said recently that the laws governing the manufacture, distribution and sale of alcohol in Maryland are too complicated or onerous for those seeking to enter the market. But those of us who have built successful small businesses in Maryland know that these laws are in place to protect the public, encourage locally owned businesses and discourage big out-of-state corporations from dominating our marketplace.

House Bill 1283 —which struck a balance among established outlets, a new corporate brewery by Diageo and burgeoning local craft breweries — passed unanimously because it supports all Maryland business owners who've played by the rules and structured their businesses accordingly, while encouraging competition and increasing selection for the consumer.

Despite being portrayed otherwise, the backbone of Maryland's alcohol industry isn't big business interests. It's hardworking Maryland families like mine who own a store, a wholesale business or a tavern. We cannot allow small businesses to be pushed out in favor of giant corporations that will be responsive to their shareholders rather than their customers, our communities and Maryland taxpayers. Dismantling current laws would do nothing to promote innovation and consumer choice.

Just as I am committed to supporting Maryland's small businesses, I want to see Maryland's craft beer industry grow alongside it. As craft beers have grown in popularity, so has the number of customers asking for them. My store stocks many local craft beers on our shelves and offers in-store tastings to promote them.

Since 2009, the number of microbreweries in Maryland has grown by 100 percent — with breweries in general enjoying 400 percent growth. That's incredible growth by any standard and the General Assembly deserves credit for supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs.

There is no either/or when it comes to current laws and craft brewers. We can protect small business owners and promote craft breweries. Indeed, we've been doing it for years.

Pitting two sides against each other is politics as usual. But it won't help either side grow their businesses, serve their customers and contribute to a greater, more vibrant Maryland. My hope for the Reform on Tap Task Force is that we can highlight the significant contribution that small businesses make to our state and develop ideas for making Maryland an even better place to run a family-owned business.