As the old “Saturday Night Live” character Emily Litella, played by the late Gilda Radner, used to sheepishly say in a high-pitched voice, “Never mind.”
Pikesville’s Seven Mile Market announced it decided to indefinitely “hold” a new policy, effective Jan. 5, 2026, to require all customers entering the supermarket to show a membership card or valid photo identification to a store clerk.
The policy — announced on Wednesday, Dec. 3 — was aimed to deter shoplifting and potential criminal activity, while enhancing “safety and security for our customers and employees.”
“It has become clear to us in the last 24 hours that this program … was misconstrued to have other motives,” the supermarket’s management said in a statement released on Thursday, Dec. 4. “There can be nothing further from the truth. Our employees and customers (including our professional Instacart shoppers) hail from all walks of life, and we welcome and appreciate every one.
“However, after consulting with legal counsel it has become clear to us that running such a program in the society we live in would be a legal risk too much for us to bear. We will continue to search for ways to enhance the safety of our store, either by bringing this program back in a different format or implementing other measures.”
The statement noted that nearly 2,000 people already signed up for the membership, and that Seven Mile’s management received a great deal of support and encouragement from the community regarding the matter.
The membership card would have been free and obtained through the store’s website. Anyone was eligible, according to the supermarket’s management.
“Unfortunately, it has become more common for people to enter our store who do not belong here for a variety of reasons,” Seven Mile wrote in the original statement released on Dec. 3. “We recognize this will be a nuisance initially, and we regret that we need to implement this new procedure, but we believe the few extra seconds when entering the store will ultimately lead to a more pleasant shopping experience, for you, our valued customers.”
Founded in 1988 and located at 201 Reisterstown Road since 2010, the 55,000-square-foot Seven Mile Market is reportedly the largest all-kosher supermarket in the nation.
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