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Fine beverage store takes over credit union space
By Kalea Hall
YOUNGSTOWN
Al Franceschelli has always been a Youngstown guy with Youngstown pride.
This is why he is excited to relocate his beer, wine and spirits store to the heart of the city: downtown.
“We are going to expand our client base and pick up some more professionals down here,” he said. “I think downtown is ready for this.”
A and C Beverage will be at 45 South Ave. Franceschelli will open the business early next year in the former Edison Financial Credit Union, which centralized its operation to Austintown in early October.
As soon as Franceschelli heard the building was for sale, he knew he wanted to buy it.
“We always wanted to have a presence downtown,” he said.
Franceschelli has operated the beer, wine and liquor store for more than 30 years. His new location will be twice the size of the current operation at 2833 South Ave. He wouldn’t say how much he has invested in the project, but he did say it has been a lot of work and a lot of money.
The inside of the old credit union, which was built in the 1970s, had several offices on its first floor. Those offices, about 15, have been knocked down to prepare for the retail shop that will carry 600 to 700 different wines, a 100-foot row of beers, including craft and finer spirits.
Franceschelli’s hope is to make the shop like the ones found in bigger cities.
“It attracts different people,” he said. “We are hoping we will keep what [customers] we have, but also have people come who don’t shop at our [current] store.”
In addition to the beverage side of the business, Franceschelli plans to have a deli, candy shop and cigar offerings.
“We have to put it together and turn it into a retail store,” he said.
This includes new coolers and counters and adding on to the staff he already has.
“I think it will be worth it in the long run,” he said. “It’s very expensive.”
He is shooting to open Jan. 1 just in time for the Super Bowl celebrations.
“We just think that adding a retail operator of this caliber is going to do nothing but help this downtown get bigger and better.”