Wine & Roses becomes Westminster Liquors, has new owner
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

The signs will be changing soon on Main Street, as Wine and Roses becomes Westminster Liquors.

Julie Scapparone and Renee Scapparone Hakala have sold the business to Thomas Fratturelli.

"We have been talking about (selling) for a while now," said Scapparone.

The sisters, who have owned the building for the last eight years, said they are ready to move on to other career opportunities.

The business sold on Monday, Dec. 3, and on Tuesday, Scapparone, Hakala and Fratturelli were all busy in the Main Street store working on transition issues.

"We're trying to do this so there is no interruption of business," said Scapparone.

Fratturelli was busy Tuesday working with distributors and meeting customers.

"I'm going to get to know the people by spending a lot of time in the store," he said.

He wants to maintain the service and build a relationship with the customers, which he said is the most important part of running a good store. He encourages customers to come in and talk with him about the product lines they would like to see carried and what they would like to see improved.

In his first days on the job Fratturelli is working to increase the selection of beers carried at the liquor store, and he is adding beer to the weekend wine tastings. The wine and beer tastings will be from 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

"There are so many great beers out there," he said.

Fratturelli said every community is different in what they want and what they prefer.

He used to own Tom's Package Store in Leominster and Mill Street Liquors in Maynard and Gardner. He had left the liquor store business a little while ago to work in beer distribution.

"I'm looking forward to working in a new town and a new community," Fratturelli said.

The owner of the building, Peter Normandin, received permission last year to build a new building on the site. Those plans are still in place and he expects to begin construction on the site at the beginning of 2008, said Scapparone.

Fratturelli said he is looking forward to the opportunities a new building will present.