Avon Wines & Spirits’ Stephen Robillard, General Manager, and Andrew Carmody, Wine Buyer.

Avon Wines & Spirits
144 Simsbury Road
Avon, CT

Square footage: 2,000

Years in operation: 12 years

By Sara Capozzi

Conveniently located in the Riverdale Farms Plaza, Avon Wines & Spirits has brought its friendly atmosphere and dedication to quality wines, spirits and beer to the area for 12 years.

The store is run day to day by Stephen Robillard, General Manager, and Andrew Carmody, Wine Buyer. Robillard has honed his knowledge of wines, craft beer and spirits through working at the shop for 11 years. Carmody brings decades of knowledge of the wine industry to the role: his family owned vineyards in Australia and he went on to run and own several high-end wine shops in Florida before relocating to New England about five years ago.

The team offers an emphasis on fine wines, especially from small family-run estates, yet with accessibility at the fore. “After I joined the company, we made the decision that we wanted to be a boutique wine store without the snobbiness,” Carmody said. “We treat everyone the same. If you want a very expensive wine, we have it. If you want a great bottle of everyday wine, we have it.”

A renovation of the shop, completed in April 2021, expanded Avon Wines’ square footage with a new temperature-controlled fine wine room and allows for even more storage of the shop’s selection of unique and collectible bottles. The renovation also added new flooring and eight cooler doors, for 16 in total, to house its growing selection of craft beer, which is the shop’s second best-selling category behind wine. The revamp has contributed to the shop’s well-lit, organized and inviting atmosphere.

Avon Wines offers exclusive wines at all price points, including organic wines, vintages from obscure wine regions and little-known varietals. The store also specializes in aged wines, many of which are priced at between $20 and $30 a bottle. “We try to provide the best service we can,” Carmody said. “It doesn’t matter if you walk in the store looking for a $12 bottle or a $1,200 bottle, we’re going to give you the best service regardless. My job is to pick you out the best wine you can possibly get for the price.”

Shoppers stop in from Avon and the surrounding towns of West Hartford and Simsbury. “We cater to all demographics,” Carmody said. “There’s a lot of competition in the area. People ask me what sets us apart and I say, ‘It’s our knowledge,’” Carmody said. “And the time we put into choosing the wines,” Robillard added.

Carmody and Robillard continuously work to stay current with the latest wines, trying hundreds of bottles per week. They go out of their way to educate customers on different products and have long conversations with shoppers about wine, developing great relationships with regulars along the way. Each month, the store prints a list of Carmody’s and Robillard’s Top 25 Favorite Wines. They also write and post recommendations for some of their favorites around the shop.

“We can’t carry everything, but we always try and find something for everyone,” Carmody said. “The customers we have now are great. All of them are our friends now.” Customer perks include Friday wine and beer tastings in the store’s tasting area, delivery within a 5-mile radius and private tasting events throughout the year.