August 17, 2022

Alcohol Beverage Services to Temporarily Close Montrose Store for Conversion to Its Upgraded Brand of ‘Oak Barrel & Vine’

Alcohol Beverage Services to Temporarily Close Montrose Store for Conversion to Its Upgraded Brand of ‘Oak Barrel & Vine’

Montgomery County’s Department of Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) will close its Montrose store by Saturday, Aug. 27, to complete a refurbishment and rebrand to its upgraded “Oak Barrel & Vine” retail line. The location may close sooner, depending on inventory. The upgraded store will reopen in late fall.

Beginning Aug. 15, the Montrose store, which is located at 1205-B Rockville Pike in Rockville, reduced its hours to 11 a.m-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday. The store will be closed on Sundays.

The Oak Barrel & Vine branded stores feature handpicked items with a focus on spirits and local products. The upgraded Montrose store will have 25 percent more shelf space, a dedicated tasting area, queue lines for faster checkout and wayfinding signs for a more inviting shopping experience.

The Montrose store is one of the oldest and busiest of the ABS stores and is popular because of its central location and ample parking. When complete, it will be the second ABS store to be upgraded to the Oak Barrel & Vine brand. The first Oak Barrel & Vine store, located in the Cabin John Village Shopping Center, opened in 2021 and has become a customer favorite.

“We are excited to introduce a second Oak Barrel & Vine store to Montgomery County,” said ABS Director Kathie Durbin. “This is our store of the future, and it is designed to reflect our community by showcasing local products, providing tastings and events and offering a dynamic shopping experience.”

During the renovation of the Montrose store, customers are encouraged to visit nearby ABS stores at Aspen Hill, Downtown Rockville, Kensington and Cabin John. A complete list of store locations and hours is available at https://montgomerycountymd.gov/ABS/stores/.

ABS is the alcohol wholesaler of beer, wine and spirits for Montgomery County and operates 26 retail stores throughout the County. In addition, ABS manages alcohol licensing, enforcement and education for more than 1,000 businesses. Generating more than $35 million in net income annually, its profits are used to pay down County debt with a large portion deposited in the general fund to pay for resident services that would otherwise be funded by County tax dollars.