PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Mahesh Brahmbhatt, better known as "Junior" has long sold beer and wine at his Princess Anne business.
But now for the first time in Somerset County, he's selling liquor under a private liquor license.
"I started selling wine and beer then they passed the law to privatize the liquor and I have experience on the liquor before because I used to own a liquor store before, long time back," he said.
Now, instead of consumers and businesses relying on a county-run dispensary for hard liquor, they can turn to businesses like Junior's. That could mean lower prices for bourbon, vodka and other hard liquors.
Junior hopes that will mean driving new business to Somerset County.
"This is not a county where people are just coming in, like you go to the Ocean City or Atlantic City where people are constantly coming from all over the place," he said.
Not only is the county-run dispensary now a thing of the past, but so too is the county liquor board.
While Junior is the first, he will not be the last.
Down the street, Thirsty's has applied and been approved for a private liquor license.
Tanita Walston who works at the convenience store says the more options for the customer, the better.
"You don't have to be stuck in one area to have to purchase liquor, come anywhere in Princess Anne and buy it. Everybody doesn't want to have to go to one place all the time," she said.
The change to Somerset County's liquor law was passed by Maryland's General Assembly earlier this year.
Wicomico County is now one of just two counties that has a county-run liquor dispensary.