A huge new beverage store has opened its doors in downtown Youngstown offering a tremendous selection of wine and beer, as well as a full service lineup of high and low proof spririts. A & C Beverage moved from its long time spot on South Avenue to the spacious and impressive downtown location.

Owner Al Franceschelli took me on a tour of the store, which is one of the largest in our entire area. The store is a full service state liquor agency and has already begun servicing the large collection of downtown bars and restaurants. Franceschelli purchased the store on South Avenue in 1992 from the original owner who had operated it since 1951.

The store boasts a wine selection of 400-500 labels priced from $7-$200. You can find everything from White Zinfandel to White Burgundy at the store, which plans a big grand opening party sometime in the coming weeks.

The craft beer selection is quite impressive as welll, with over 150 craft selections on hand at any given time. There is also a selection of over 100 domestic beers for those who still enjoy something a little more mainstream.

A & C has more to offer than just beverages. There is a state of the art cigar humidor offering 20+ selections of quality stogies, an impressive display of Philadelphia Candies, and plans for a "grab and go" deli featuring premium cheeses, sandwiches and salads.

A full service drive thru and a tasting lounge will be part of the store very soon. A & C has a tasting license and plans to do some events moving forward.

Readers of this blog and the Valley Food page can look for a feature article covering the grand opening celebration in the print edition of The Vindicator. Stay tuned!