Het “Sunny” Patel, Owner, United Wine & Spirits.

United Wine & Spirits
896 Manton Avenue
Providence, RI

Square footage: 2,600

Years in operation: 9 months

By Sara Capozzi

Opened in October 2024, United Wine & Spirits is the latest package store serving the Olneyville neighborhood—and it continues to gain ground with its plentiful selection and superior customer service.

The store is owned by Het “Sunny” Patel and his father, Brijesh Patel, who have owned A-Z Liquors on Douglas Avenue for nine years and Downtown Liquors on Charles Street for six years. When the Patels were seeking an additional business venture, the location on Manton Avenue, previously a car rental center, opened up and they recognized its potential.

“We saw a great opportunity with this location,” Sunny Patel said. “It’s a good neighborhood, people are very friendly and they actually needed a good store over here which offers more different products and varieties. Plus, the location has good parking, good traffic onflow.”

United Wine & Spirits prioritizes friendly customer service and its relationships with its regular customer base, which includes shoppers who hail from the neighborhood and the 21-plus community from nearby colleges, along with occasional out-of-state visitors. The Patels don’t hesitate to fulfill any special orders for customers if they request an item that isn’t in stock.

“[Shoppers] are going to get more selections over here on this road than other stores,” Patel said. “We’ve got the good prices and good selections. We keep a smile on their faces, welcome everyone and offer them the good service and the products they need.”
Wine is the store’s most prevalent category, and the team caters to its many wine drinkers by offering a diverse selection and stocking a well-rounded mix of big-name brands alongside bottles from smaller, independently owned wineries and more obscure regions.

Patel vets all of the wine he carries. “With the wines, I prefer to have a tasting first, then I’ll bring it into my store,” he said. “If a customer gives me a wine name, I’ll go online and check if it has good ratings, and if it does, I’ll bring it in.”

United carries a comprehensive collection of spirits, specializing in bourbons, and offers a variety of allocated selections for collectors. Patel, who is a fan of tequila, continues to add to the shop’s growing SKUs for similarly inclined agave fans.

The coolers are stocked with an ever-changing array of craft brews and big-name and imported beer, as well as another leading category for United: ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails. “RTDs are very popular; everybody wants a premade, mixed drink,” Patel said.
United keeps in touch with its customer base through its Instagram page and website. As the Patels’ business continues to thrive, they are planning to begin offering delivery through DoorDash later in the year.