Board grants 90-day conditional approval to transfer Corner Liquors license pending clearances

The St. Mary's County Alcohol Beverage Board voted Jan. 8 to grant a 90-day conditional approval for transfer of the Corner Liquors class A-1 license to two family members following the death of the prior owner.

John Quinn, representing the applicants, told the board that the previous owner, Shambhoo (recorded in the hearing as Shambhube) Patel, died in 2024 and that an estate was opened and approved by the Orphans' Court. Quinn said membership interests were transferred to Alpesh Kumar (85%) and Jayant (15%). The applicants, who were sworn, confirmed they have managed and will operate the business responsibly.

Board staff notified the applicants that several administrative clearances remain outstanding before final licensing: Maryland Comptroller release, fire marshal approval, and a Land Use/Use & Occupancy change-of-ownership filing. The board's motion approved a 90-day conditional transfer expressly conditioned on receipt of those three clearances; the vote was unanimous.

During questioning, applicants said the store has three employees and described a point-of-sale ID prompt used to check identification when scanning alcohol. Administrator Tammy Hildebrand advised applicants to keep the office updated as they resolve state revenue classification and other clearance matters.

The board also reminded the applicants about the county appeals process for licensing decisions and asked them to follow up with staff as clearances are obtained. The conditional approval preserves the transfer while applicants complete the listed agency requirements.