Tobacco

Prince George's Community Concerned by Concentration of Liquor, Tobacco Shops

There are too many liquor and tobacco stores in a concentrated area of Prince George’s County, from Glenarden to Seat Pleasant near the D.C. line, according to area leaders

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Residents and leaders of an area of Prince George’s County, Maryland, say there are too many liquor and tobacco stores. News4’s Darcy Spencer reports.

A group of residents and leaders held a demonstration outside a soon-to-open tobacco and convenience store in Seat Pleasant, Maryland, Monday to protest what they say are too many similar shops in their community.

"Like any community, we want economic development but not this type of economic development," Seat Pleasant Mayor Kelly Porter said outside the Friendly Mart Tobacco 24/7 store on Martin Luther King Jr. Highway.

Those attending the protest said there are too many liquor and tobacco stores in a concentrated area of Prince George’s County, from Glenarden to Seat Pleasant near the D.C. line.

"It is sinful! It is sinful that we can allow these tobacco stores to come to our community, but we cannot get a grocery store, not one, in this community for our people," Maryland Sen. Joanne Benson said.

There are more than a dozen tobacco and liquor stores in a 3.5 mile stretch of Martin Luther King Jr. Highway, according to the protesters. They said they want to see other types of businesses flourishing.

Leaders suggested getting legislation on the county or state level to deal with the issue, as well as zoning and permitting changes.

"It's the same way they rezoned strip stores and adult book stores and zoned them completely out of existence in our county," Maryland State Delegate-elect Tiffany Alston said.

"It’s very complex, which is why I think nothing has been done yet, but we have to start somewhere," Del. Fay Martin Howell said.

The leaders demonstrating said making liquor, tobacco and vaping products so readily available can hurt the community.

They said they hope that by working together they can limit the types of businesses they don’t want and attract what they do want: a high-quality grocery store.

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