Centerville Liquors’ Uyen and Ethan Ngo.

Centerville Liquors
287 Legris Avenue
West Warwick, RI

Square footage: 3,500

Years in operation: 7 months

By Sara Capozzi

Conveniently located in the Cumberland Farms Plaza on Legris Avenue, Centerville Liquors brings its own brand of friendly customer service and well-rounded selection to the West Warwick community. The store is owned by the Ngo family, who opened the shop in April. Originally hailing from Vietnam, the Ngos moved to Massachusetts in 2017, where they own and operate several other package stores. “An uncle on my mom’s side was in the business, so we followed in his footsteps,” Ethan Ngo said.

The Ngos had been seeking another opportunity in the area and fortuitously learned that Centerville Liquors was available for purchase around the same time. Together, Ethan, his sister Uyen, father Linh and mother Phuong run Centerville Liquors and their Massachusetts stores. Ngo, who does the majority of the buying for Centerville, said he enjoys the day-to-day sales of being in the beer, wine and spirits industry and the constant flow of new items.

“I try to bring in new products every month,” he said. Ngo said he procures a lot of new SKUs based on customer requests. “We’re trying to cover a little bit of everything,” he said of the store’s inventory, which appeals to a wide range of shoppers. “It was a smaller selection under the previous owner, so I keep expanding everything.”

Centerville offers a plentiful bourbon selection with some allocated and harder-to-find brands on its shelves. In wine, shoppers continue to reach for reds and varietals, with Cabernet Sauvignon a top-selling favorite. Customers also enjoy frequent sales and specials that Centerville offers on the purchase of two bottles of wine. “[We] offer a diverse selection of craft beers from different breweries across the country, with a special focus on breweries from New England and local favorites,” Ngo said. “In our efforts to provide the best variety and quality, we regularly rotate our beer collection every month; we always have fresh and seasonal offerings that cater to different tastes.”

The Ngos prioritize the customer shopping experience by making sure the store is pleasing to the eye and that its atmosphere is relaxing by playing tranquil music. “The experience I want to give to people is that when you walk in, you feel cozy and comfortable in the store, so we make sure we keep everything organized and neat,” Ngo said. “We want that customer experience in all of our stores.”

The store’s convenient and appealing location brings in plenty of foot traffic and customers, both local and out-of-towners, and offers guests the ease to purchase what they need in one trip. “When people are stopping by for gas, it’s convenient for them to run in here—and I make sure I have everything they need at a reasonable price,” Ngo said.

With a goal of keeping things easy, service is the standout feature. If customers have any questions, the Ngo family is more than happy to help, all of which keeps shoppers delighted and coming back.