For Immediate Release: Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services’ Fallsgrove Liquor and Wine Store Temporarily Closed After Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19

The Fallsgrove Liquor and Wine store operated by Montgomery County’s Department of Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) has temporarily closed after a store employee tested positive for COVID-19. ABS was made aware of the positive test on Tuesday, Dec. 15, and the store was closed immediately. The employee’s last day at work at the Fallsgrove store, which is located at 14937E Shady Grove Road in Rockville, was Monday, Dec. 14.

A specialized team will be brought in to disinfect the store. This deep cleaning involves chemical fogging and manual wiping down of all products and high contact surfaces in the store. The store will reopen pending the guidance of local health officials and the availability of adequate staffing.

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. The number of people who can shop at one time is limited in each store to ensure social distancing guidelines.

ABS is the alcohol wholesaler of beer, wine and spirits for Montgomery County. ABS operates 25 beer, wine and spirits stores throughout the County 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.

For information about ABS, including store hours and locations visit the website and follow ABS on Facebook and Twitter.

For the latest COVID-19 updates, visit the County’s COVID-19 data dashboard.

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Media contact: Melissa Davis, 240-660-1224 or melissa.davis2@montgoemrycountymd.gov