Wine Shop Re-Opens With New Name, Modern Vibe

Customers of the former shop known as Westchester Wines & Spirits will hardly recognize the interior at 741 Bedford Road, now known as Vine & Co. re-opened with a new owner.

What's new: The lightened-up interior has gleaming-new hardwood floors; metal and wire shelving units bring a contemporary feel to the space, which features a back-room tasting area where chalkboard-painted walls will detail selections for weekend wine tastings.

What's the same: The focus is still on selling wine and spirits, as it has been in that space for the past 30 years.

"We are all about exceptional service and value," said owner Ashley Diamond, 40, who has a background in retail and is coming back to work after a few years home with her two children."Our goal is to continue selling great product, bringing a modern shopping experience to an existing customer base." 

Diamond, a Katonah resident, said when she heard that Paul Lobello, the previous store's proprieter, was interested in selling, she and her husband, Jim Diamond—who runs Diamond Properties, the firm responsible for the Bedford Green plaza's re-development—decided to take over and re-furbish the space. Both remembered the wine business known as Green Lane that flourished there for many years.

"There's a lot of traffic in this plaza and we think it's a growth market," said Diamond.

She's working with Meg Burdick, 45, whom she met as a fellow parent at the Rippowam Cisqua School, where their children attend. Burdick, a Yorktown resident, is a trained chef and former caterer and is providing business development services through her work at Diamond Properties. 

Saturday wine tastings are already underway, said Burdick.

"We have about 70 percent wine and 30 percent spirits in varying price points," she said. "We're also selling organic wines and plan to adapt our business to the local market," she said.

For example, they plan to have seasonal displays, classes and inventory tailored to community needs.

Diamond noted that they consulted with wine expert David Talbot for all of their buying, and their staff includes the skills of Jen Lucia, who has a wine and spirits diploma from the International Wine Center in New York City.

The store had a soft opening last Friday and a grand opening is slated for November. An expansion from the store's current 2,700 square feet to 5,800 square feet is planned for 2012.

Vine & Co. is located in the Bedford Green shoping plaza and is open Mon. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. and on Sun., from 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. Free delivery is offered, call 666-7272 for more information.