Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services Reopens Its Flower Avenue Liquor and Wine Store

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Montgomery County’s Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) reopened its Flower Avenue Liquor and Wine store at noon today, Wednesday, Feb. 3. The store, located at 8706-B Flower Avenue, Silver Spring, had been closed since Wednesday, Jan. 20, after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.

The number of employees in quarantine caused staffing shortages, which forced ABS to close the store. During the closure, a specialized unit performed a deep cleaning and sanitization of the store, which included cleaning all surfaces and products and fogging with specialized machines.

ABS deeply values transparency. In each instance in which a store is closed, ABS works to immediately notify the public through news releases, on the ABS website and via social media.

In addition to deep cleaning, all ABS stores have installed plexiglass at each register to create a barrier between consumers and staff and have erected hand sanitizer stations by the front doors. Staff is frequently disinfecting surfaces and is encouraging social distancing of at least six feet. Signage reminding customers to engage in social distancing and of the County health order requiring residents to wear facemasks while shopping, have been posted in each store as well. Staff are also limiting the number of people who can shop at one time to ensure distancing can be maintained.

ABS is the alcohol wholesaler of beer, wine, and spirits for Montgomery County. ABS operates 25 beer, wine, and spirits stores and one spirits-only store in Poolesville. It manages alcohol licensing, enforcement, and education for more than 1,000 businesses. Generating more than $35 million in net income annually, ABS profits are used to pay down County debt with a large portion deposited in the County general fund to pay for resident services that would otherwise be funded by County tax dollars.

Learn more about ABS by visiting the website and by following ABS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

# # #

 

Release ID: 21-078
Media Contact: Melissa Davis 240-660-1224
Categories: ABS