PORT TOBACCO — Port Tobacco Marina’s restaurant and its ship store are closed for the winter as of Friday, Nov. 13, and do not plan to reopen until April 16, 2027.
The two businesses on Shirley Boulevard, which hold separate alcohol licenses, gave notice of the seasonal closing to Charles County’s Board of License Commissioners at its Nov. 12 meeting. License holders are required to tell the board when they intend to stop operating for a stretch, because a license generally has to be in use.
This winter’s plan is a change from last year. Attorney David Martinez of the Jenkins Law Firm, who represents both licensees, reminded the board that it had allowed the marina last winter to open one day a week, enough to meet the statutory requirement, and otherwise open as needed.
“That didn’t work out great,” Martinez said. This year, he said, the marina will do “a straight seasonal closing.”
The ship store is closing on the same schedule. Martinez said some boaters still put in and haul out during the colder months, but not enough to justify keeping the store open. “It’s not cost efficient for my client,” he said.
The notices cover the licensed businesses. Martinez did not describe any change to boat slips, the ramp or other marina services, and boaters with questions about winter access should check with the marina directly.
Berry Road liquor store gets a new owner
At the same meeting, the board approved the transfer of the Class A beer, wine and liquor license for the store at 11493 Berry Road in Waldorf, next to the Wawa on Route 228. The store has operated as Berry Road Beer and Wine. Under its new owner, Berry Liquors LLC, it will do business as Berry Liquors.
Customers should see little difference. The new owner told the board he plans no operational changes, hopes to keep the current employees and will keep the same hours: 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
He said a relative with more than 10 years in the alcohol business will manage the store day to day, with about three other employees, and that he expects to be there one or two days a week himself. The Charles County resident on the license, who has served in that role for the store since 2019, will stay on.
The store’s policy will be to check identification for every alcohol purchase and to refuse Maryland’s vertical under-21 licenses, the owner said. In response to a board member’s question, the applicants said the store has had no prior violations.
The approval is conditional on a health permit and a use and occupancy permit, which Martinez said should be in hand within 30 days.
The chairman, noting that the new owner previously held a license in another county, told him the board and its enforcement staff are available as a resource. “We’re not here to just impose fines,” he said.
The same meeting produced opening timelines for four new Waldorf restaurants. It was also the last for the board’s longtime clerk, who is leaving at the end of the month.
