National restaurant chains are looking to expand their presence in Anne Arundel County, thanks to a recent policy change that permits restaurant owners to hold up to six liquor licenses.
“Most of the national chains would like to expand in Anne Arundel County,” said Steven Britz, an attorney who represents the chain Ruby Tuesday?s.
The restaurant, which has three locations in the county, likely will open more because of the new law and is studying which locations in the county would be most attractive, he said.
Passed this April in the House of Delegates, the new liquor law took effect July 1. Victoria Bowen, a county liquor board administrator, estimates that she?s received about five calls a week from businesses who want to acquire licenses, including chains like Outback Steak House, Applebee?s and Red Robin.
The county has not issued any additional licenses yet, Bowen said, since most restaurateurs are still conducting demographic studies.
One key provision of the law is its contributions to development, according to the Anne Arundel County Economic Development Corporation.
Businesses can acquire their first license anywhere in the county, but a portion of the additional licenses must be in designated revitalization and growth areas. These areas include locations near: Glen Burnie, Parole Town Center, Odenton Town Center, Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, the Severn Commercial District, the Edgewater/Mayo Commercial District, the Route 198 Corridor, or a shopping center with at least a million square feet.
The county currently has 211 restaurants with liquor licenses, which leaves plenty of room for growth, according to the county?s Economic Development Corporation.
“We acted on this because of the feedback that we were getting from our businesses,” said a spokeswoman, pointing to the BWI corridor as an area with insufficient restaurant options. “(Employees in the corridor) have officials flying in from all over the world and really very few choices as to where they can entertain their customers. This is sort of an answer to that need,” she said.
