North Street Wine & Liquor
108 North Street
Bristol, CT

Square footage: 5,400

Years in operation: 3 years

By Sara Capozzi

Conveniently located close to downtown Bristol in a bustling shopping area, North Street Wine & Liquor has brought its one-of-a-kind selection and great service to the area for the past three years. “The first priority is customer service and the second priority is price,” said Owner Srinivas “Sunny” Mothe. The staff is always happy to help customers choose items. “We always communicate with the customer on what they’re looking for and help them with selections based on what kind of food goes with a particular wine.”

Owned by Mothe and run day to day with the help of his sister, Manager Anusha Gujja, the family-owned and -operated shop continues to build its customer base as more shoppers discover its brand of impeccable service and low prices. Growing up in a family that was also in the industry, Mothe has spent the last 12 to 15 years working at package stores and owns several in the state.

North Street Wine & Liquor is his latest endeavor. He purchased the store and its building in March 2021. It was originally located in a space across the parking lot now occupied by Dollar General. When Mothe was approached by Dollar General, he opted to rent out the space and build another building across the parking lot for the store, completing construction on the current building in July 2022.

While the new space was around the same square footage as the previous location, it has attracted more customers, according to Gujja. “After we came here, business was good,” she said. “[Customers] saw the new building; the parking is good. It’s easy to come in.”

Gujja said she enjoys establishing relationships with the clientele, who are mostly native to Bristol. Customers continue to return for the broad selection of wine, spirits and beer, including a variety of domestic, imported and craft beer selections kept chilled in the shop’s walk-in cooler and beer cave.

North Street offers a plentiful bourbon selection, with a variety of allocated items available for shoppers looking for their next high-end find. While customers will find many items in the shop’s broad offerings, “We focus most on wines,” Mothe said. “We have a good wine selection.”

Wine is the store’s top-selling category, with high-end bottles stocked in the store’s temperature-controlled wine room. North Street also prioritizes carrying local brands from Connecticut-based producers.

The team makes the customer experience paramount by working to keep the spacious store clean and organized, with products neatly arranged in designated sections and marked with clear signage for easy shopping.

North Street hosts in-store tastings on Fridays and Saturdays of each week to introduce customers to their next favorite product. Delivery through DoorDash is also among perks that keep happy customers coming back.

“I like to keep things with my businesses pretty simple,” Mothe said. “Good customer service, good pricing, keeping the store clean and keeping it stocked with a variety of merchandise. I don’t compare myself to the competition, I just do my own thing. We welcome everyone in the neighborhood to come in and take a look and see how different we are from other stores.”