After Trepidity, Upscale Worcester Public Market Wine Store OK'd

WORCESTER, MA — A new place to buy alcohol is coming to Kelley Square — but the owners and its potential customers are promising it will be cater to a more discerning clientele than your typical liquor store.

The Board of License Commissioners on Thursday granted Canal District Wines a license to operate inside the Worcester Public Market. It was the second try for owners Oliva D’Ambrosio and Rachel Scanlon, who failed to get an approval from the board in June over concerns their store wasn't needed in a small neighborhood that's home to Kelley Square Liquors and McGovern's Package Store.

D’Ambrosio, Scanlon and their attorney, Howard Stempler, returned Thursday to show how their store would differ from others — and they brought a relatively large number of supporters compared to usual License Commission proceedings.

In opening remarks, Stempler illustrated what's different about Canal District Wines using two Shrewsbury Street restaurants: the pricey One Eleven Chop House and the pedestrian McDonald's up by Belmont Street.

They both serve beef, but for different types of diners, he said.

"No one would ever say since we have McDonalds we don't need a chop house," Stempler said.

A parade of supporters followed Stempler. Witnesses from WPI Humanities and Arts director Kathryn Moncrief to Worcester Public Market Executive Director Domenic Mercurio (who's also a wine salesman) said many Kelley Square residents feel unsafe going to other neighborhood liquor stores, or just want the convenience of a specialty wine store that's not either Total Wine or Whole Foods. The store will also cater to a new influx of younger, wealthier residents, supporters said.

"They are going to be probably two to three times higher in price than anything you see in [nearby] stores," Mercurio said.

During a June 14 License Commission meeting, several local liquor store owners, including Kelley Square Liquors' Kurt Patel, spoke against the store. Patel said his store could always order specialty wine for customers. D’Ambrosio said during the meeting the store would only have a maximum of 30 wines in stock at a time, posing no real threat to other nearby stores.

At that June meeting, License Commissioner Chair Walter Shea and commissioner Barbar Haller voted against the license. Both reversed their vote on Thursday after Haller was assured the commission would have a say if the Canal District Wines' license ever changed hands.