Delaware legislation would restrict proliferation of liquor stores, particularly in Wilmington

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Delaware lawmakers could consider allowing Wilmington to enact stricter requirements for new liquor stores.

The Wilmington City Council passed a resolution in November urging the General Assembly to give them more control over the proliferation of these package stores in the city.

Councilman Coby Owens said there’s a certain racial and geographic element to where existing retailers are currently located.

“I think it’s very clear here in the city of Wilmington that we have an oversaturation of liquor stores all throughout the city, especially in predominantly minority neighborhoods and low-income neighborhoods,” Owens said. “On Market Street alone, you have what, five, six liquor stores on the North Market Street side between Councilwoman [Shané] Darby, [Zanthia] Oliver and my district.”

The legislation, sponsored by state Rep. Stephanie Bolden, D-Wilmington, would allow any municipality with a population of 50,000 people or more to enact more restrictive rules on the location of liquor stores than under state law. According to population numbers, the bill would only currently apply to Wilmington, the state’s largest city.

Existing stores would be grandfathered in and allowed to remain in their current locations. The bill would require the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commissioner to deny licenses if new establishments fail to comply with the tighter rules.

Bolden said the measure is needed and has not heard from any opposition.

“Our liquor stores in the city of Wilmington are all located within our school districts,” Bolden said. “They’re located at residential properties and also next to our churches. That was one of the reasons, although they’re grandfathered in, to make sure that it doesn’t occur with any new establishments.”

Delaware is just one of 11 states that bars grocery stores from selling wine and one of four that prohibits them from selling beer. Attempts to change that date back at least to 2009, when then-state Rep. John Viola, D-Newark, sponsored a bill to allow the sale of wine and beer in grocery stores.

Some studies have suggested there’s a link between liquor store density and higher levels of violence and community disadvantages, such as poverty, poor health outcomes and systemic inequality. It’s also associated with lower life expectancies.

The Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control Commissioner said there are 47 package stores in Wilmington.

Bolden sponsored a similar bill regulating package stores in 2022. It passed in the House without opposition, but died in the Senate.