The 40-year-old Del Ray convenience store cleared for direct-to-consumer wine sales
2 days ago: Virginia ABC issues wine shipping licenseNew here? Follow stories to track developments over time. Create a free account to get updates when stories you care about change.
Overview
Updated 2 hours ago24 Express Food Store, a Del Ray convenience store known for its fried chicken, received a Virginia ABC In State Shipper license on September 8, 2026. The license permits the store to ship wine directly to customers anywhere in Virginia.
The store has operated at 4007 Mount Vernon Avenue since 1986. It already sells groceries and hot food through Grubhub, DoorDash, and Seamless. The new license adds a wine-shipping channel to that mix.
Why it matters
A 40-year-old Alexandria neighborhood store can now ship wine statewide, adding a delivery channel to its fried-chicken and grocery business.
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Organizations Involved
Neighborhood convenience store in Alexandria's Del Ray known for fried chicken and hot food.
State agency that licenses and regulates all alcohol sales in Virginia.
Timeline
1986 September 2026
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Virginia ABC issues wine shipping license
Latest RegulatoryIn State Shipper license clears 24 Express to ship wine directly to Virginia customers.
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24 Express opens in Del Ray
MilestoneStore founded at 4007 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria.
Historical Context
2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
Virginia becomes a control state for alcohol (1934)
After Prohibition ended, Virginia established the Alcoholic Beverage Control system, making the state the sole wholesaler and retailer of distilled spirits.
Private distilleries lost direct sales access, and the ABC board began licensing all alcohol sales.
Virginia's control model remains in place, with licensed businesses handling beer and wine while spirits flow through state stores.
The licensing framework that governs 24 Express's new permit traces to this control-state model, which still shapes who can sell and ship alcohol in Virginia.
Virginia direct wine shipping law (2018)
Virginia changed its alcohol laws to let wineries ship wine directly to consumers, creating the In State Shipper license category. Previously, direct shipping was heavily restricted.
In-state wineries gained a new sales channel, and regulators issued the license to eligible producers.
The license became a common route for direct-to-consumer wine sales in Virginia, which otherwise remains a control state for distilled spirits.
The In State Shipper license 24 Express received on September 8, 2026, is the same license category created by this 2018 change, now held by a convenience store rather than a winery.
