![]() ![]() Gomes, who collected 600 signatures from customers opposed to the tax increase. “I just hope my customers will be loyal,” said Mr. Jacob Gomes, who owns Gomes Liquors at 58 Ashby State Road, Fitchburg, said he's concerned about the impact of the higher prices when his store is 10 miles from the New Hampshire line. “It really puts an undue burden on customers,” Mr. Now the sales tax will be on top of that. Pompei said, while a $10 bottle of wine includes $3.50 in taxes. Shoppers picking up a $24 case of beer already pay $10 in excise taxes, Mr. Pompei said the state already charges excise taxes that are built into the posted prices on the shelves. “It's a tax upon a tax,” said Chris Pompei, whose family has run Wyman's Liquors, with two stores in Leominster and one in Fitchburg, for 40 years. They also note that New Hampshire charges more in excise taxes on beer than Massachusetts, so the disparity in prices caused by the sales tax will not be as high.īut the merchants say Massachusetts is filling its coffers at their expense, and unfairly. Proponents argue that applying the state's new 6.25 percent sales tax to alcohol will bring in nearly $80 million for substance abuse programs. ![]() In the north, merchants fear the new taxes will drive business to sales tax-free New Hampshire, while stores on the southern edge of the state will lose some of the competitive advantage they have enjoyed over Connecticut and Rhode Island. 1, the state's recently raised 6.25 percent sales tax will apply to alcoholic beverages, a cause for concern for sellers on the state's northern and southern borders. For a recent Cinco de Mayo class, Pattani brought in the state brand manager for the Patrón portfolio, highlighting its tequilas.It's almost closing time for the state's long-standing exemption on sales taxes for alcohol.Ĭome Aug. Likewise, a Valentine’s Day wine appreciation class saw brisk sales of bottles priced at $19.99 and $29.99, while customers mostly ignored the $9.99 “value” wines. We ended up having to back order all of them.” “We recently held our first class on single-malt scotch – and all of them were at price points of $100 a bottle,” said Pattani. Products are in a variety of price categories, including higher-priced bottles that many customers might not otherwise try. Saturday since the beginning of the year. This was brought about in part by the tastings and classes he has hosted every Friday and Pattani reported another development: he does a brisk business in higher-priced wines and spirits. The store also boasts two new, temperature-controlled wine coolers, a new cooler for craft beers, and a new personal-computer network as well as new software tools. Last fall, the store underwent its first major renovation, which included the construction of the store’s Tasting and Education Room. In summer, Pattani sees a sharp uptick in sales of blended white wines. For example, a red blend will contain a mix of cabernet, merlot and shiraz - blending sweet, dry and fruity elements. Yankee Discount Liquors team includes Subash Aryal, technology Deepak Pattanim Owner Babu Khatiwada, manager.īlended wines have grown in popularity because they’re more complex, which appeals to many sophisticated wine drinkers, Pattani said. We can’t seem to keep enough of it in stock.” A particular favorite of our customers is moscato. ![]() “Lately, we’ve seen strong growth in both blends and sweet wines. “We have greatly increased our wine business since I bought the store 10 years ago,” said Pattani. We make a point of knowing their name, what they like, and what they don’t like.”Ībout half of the store’s floor space is devoted to wine, with the balance divided almost equally between beer and spirits. “People visit us once, and they love to come back. “What sets us apart is our customer service,” said Pattani. The store, located on busy Route 80 in East Haven, Conn., has grown three-fold in the 10 years under Pattani’s stewardship. “Within a mile of our store are seven other package stores, so we have a lot of competition here,” said Deepak Pattani, proprietor of Yankee Discount Liquors. Years in Operation: 10 under current owner Location: 684 Foxon Road, East Haven, Connecticut ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |