Despite strong protest from city officials and residents, the county’s liquor control board granted a beer and wine license to Shoppers Food Warehouse on Cherry Hill Road, the city’s only supermarket.

After an eight-hour hearing, the Prince George’s County Board of License Commissioners approved a license transfer from the Shoppers in Takoma Park to the College Park store but had several caveats, most of which concerning safety.

Under the license, Shoppers must ensure all cashiers are trained in selling alcoholic beverages, and College Park Director of Public Services Bob Ryan said Shoppers must install ID swipe security instead of a manual age verification check.

“There was a concern that because the area has a higher population of underage people who may have fake IDs, technology had to be installed,” Ryan said.

Additionally, Shoppers representatives must go before the board in June to ensure there is no relationship between the store’s parent company, Supervalu Inc., and a company that provides services for the distributors of Guinness beer and Smirnoff Ice.

Under state law, it is illegal for a wholesaler like Shoppers to be connected or have financial interest in any part of an alcoholic business.

City council members brought the relationship to the attention of Shoppers representatives, but Shoppers attorney Linda Carter told the council there was no illegal relationship “as far as she knew.”

The store would not have to wait until the June hearing to begin selling liquor. Shoppers plans to gate off a small area in the back of the store for alcoholic drinks.

Carter and other Shoppers representatives did not return several messages yesterday.

Ryan said Shoppers representatives pleaded their case to the board Tuesday for about three hours. The representatives made many of the same points to the College Park City Council last Tuesday, though the council unanimously opposed the license’s transfer.

The main argument for the transfer was convenience for Shoppers patrons, so customers could enjoy “one-stop shopping,” Carter previously told the city council.

The transfer occurred despite heavy opposition from residents and city officials, who said the sale of alcohol at the supermarket would “unduly disturb the peace, safety and harmony of the neighborhood,” North College Park Citizens Association President Mark Shroder said in a letter to the county Liquor Control Board.

The NCPCA unanimously voted twice to oppose the transfer and did not reconsider its position even after a presentation by Shoppers that store officials characterized as going “quite well.”

Shroder said he was disappointed the transfer went through, but it “wasn’t the end of the world.”

“There are worse things that could happen,” Shroder said. “But we’re not happy with it.”

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR STUDENTS

A place nearby to buy beer and wine as well as groceries. Shoppers employees would check IDs with a swipe that verifies authenticity, and liquor would be corned off after midnight to comply with state law.

WHAT RESIDENTS SAY

Having College Park’s only supermarket selling liquor poses problems for residents’ safety. It could jeopardize security and peace in the neighborhood and encourage vagrants to beg for money to buy alcohol.

WHAT THE CITY SAYS

State legislation to allow the license transfer was tacked on at the last minute, leaving a bad taste in the city’s mouth. There is also a question of whether Shoppers still has ties to a company that once bottled alcohol, a connection which is illegal in the state.

WHAT SHOPPERS SAYS

The store is a convenient place for “one-stop” shopping, and it is taking all the necessary precautions to comply with state law and minimize the purchase of alcohol by minors.

Contact reporter Sam Hedenberg at hedenbergdbk@gmail.com.