Wine and Spirits of Woodbridge recently opened in the plaza at 245 Amity Road. The store, located between The Red Barn and The Write Approach, is a “boutique, high-end” wine and liquor store, says co-owner Steve Shapiro.
Shapiro wanted to locate the store in Woodbridge because of the town’s demographics and the fact that it had no package store. The store has an extensive wine and bourbon selection, in addition to local craft beer.
Store manager Ally Taccogna said that they toured their neighboring stores to see what customers expect of the plaza and took inspiration from them. The store is bright with light wood shiplap walls and custom shelving. “We’re all here together so we want to blend in and be part of the community,” she said.
Another way they’re working with neighbors is a wine dinner on Nov. 17 at neighboring restaurant, Solun Tapas Bar. Taccogna said that Solun owner Carlos Hernandez works with a small wine distributor and therefore his wines are hard to find at stores. Taccogna plans to start “Carlos’s corner” where she will stock the wines sold at Solun. “A lot of people like what he carries but they can’t find it anywhere,” she said.
And that seems to be the store’s philosophy – to provide boutique wines not widely available elsewhere along with more mainstream wines. Taccogna said she is focusing on dealing with small distributors to bring in wines that customers may have heard of but are hard to find.
Customers are also able to leave their contact information with their drink preferences so that when product that appeals to them comes in the store can alert them. Soon Taccogna said there will also be an ipad available for customers to use to search inventory and make requests. “It will be a very personalized experience,” she said.
The store is open Monday through Saturday 10 am to 7 pm. Contact them at 203-298-9769 and learn more at www.wineandspiritsofwoodbridge.com