Ancona’s Wines & Liquors Opens New Store in Downtown Ridgefield
Grand Opening celebration to be held for new location on Governor Street
March 23, 2018, Ridgefield, CT – Mitch Ancona, proprietor of Ancona’s Wines & Liquors in Branchville and Wilton, announced the opening of his third store, based in downtown Ridgefield. A Grand Opening celebration will be held on Saturday, March 31, beginning at 10 am at the store, located at 17b Governor Street.
The Grand Opening celebration will feature an official ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Chamber of Commerce, tastings from various winemakers, champagne sabering demonstrations (Ancona is the former Guinness World Record holder), and lessons on opening vintage bottles of wine, featuring selections from Ancona’s personal collection. Along with fresh Mimosas, Dark & Stormy cocktail samples will be available, made with Ancona’s private barrel rum. In continuing his commitment to giving back to the community, Ancona will donate 10 percent of the day’s proceeds directly to the RVNA.
As a local business owner and devoted husband and father, Ancona understands the challenges of time management. That’s one of the reasons, he says, he’s expanding into the downtown Ridgefield area. “I want to make it more convenient for my customers to get their shopping and errands done,” the longtime local resident and proprietor said, “and perhaps even help them find their new favorite wine, beer or spirit.” Located next to Ridgefield Music (where Ancona once took drum lessons as a child), the new store will follow the same mission as the Branchville and Wilton locations: “Bringing family, knowledge, and passion together to create an unforgettable customer experience."
The Grand Opening, like the store itself, is a celebration of history, family, community and continuity, Ancona said. In fact, the shop is located on the site of the former Woolworth’s, where Mitch’s wife, Deb, held her first job working at the lunch counter.
“Although this is our third store, we are really all about being a small business,” Ancona said.
“My grandfather’s philanthropic ambitions were passed to my father, who taught me the value of giving back to the community. We source and collaborate with neighboring businesses and charities as much as possible.” Since the opening of the very first store, the Ancona family has donated thousands of dollars to local organizations and charities.
Ancona also emphasizes the talent and knowledge of his staff, which differentiates his shops from the traditional “big box” stores. He encourages continuing education for his employees, who have traveled to Europe to take classes and participate in seminars and immersive experiences. “Our stores feature extremely knowledgeable staff with the time and desire to educate customers and personally serve their needs,” he said. Even before their first day, employees have already taken a course in hospitality and the fundamentals of the wine and spirit business.
“Everything we are as an organization,” he said, “is a reflection of not only my ideas and passion, but also the ideas and passion of my family and team.”
Ancona’s Wines & Liquors has been serving the community since the early 1920s. The stores feature regular off-site wine tasting events and exclusive dinners hosted by winemakers from around the world. In addition to the shop at 17b Governor Street, Ancona’s Wines & Liquors is located at 720 Branchville Road in Ridgefield, and 5 River Road in Wilton. For more information, visit https://www.anconaswine.com.