Senator Mayer Helps Local Liquor Stores Lobby Against Giant Newcomer in Greenburgh
Originally published in
The Journal News
Tony Russo, owner of Aries Wine & Spirits in White Plains, packs a box of wine for customer Lorna Land. Russo is among those worried that the Total Wine franchise moving into Greenburgh will hurt his business.
There are no rocks or slingshots involved, but a group of local "Davids," in the form of small mom-and-pop liquor stores, is taking on the nation's largest family-owned liquor retailer, saying if Total Wine receives a license to open in Hartsdale, it may run many of them out of business.…
State Sen. Shelley Mayer, D-Yonkers, said she's preparing a statement to the SLA opposing Total Wine's license.
"We're talking about small neighborhood liquor stores owned by people who are part of the fabric of our community," she said. "They're at tremendous risk. The experience in Long Island is very disturbing."
Mayer was referring to Total Wine & More's first New York store, in a 26,000-square-foot building in Westbury, owned by David Trone.
"Local stores all across Nassau County are experiencing an average 15-30 percent business drop-off since the Westbury mega-store opened," Malito said. "This forces these local merchants to cut staff in order to survive Total’s anti-competitive scorched-earth business practices."
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