Roche Bros. to Have More Alcohol Display Space

Roche Bros. Supermarket has altered its layout for beer and wine displays.  They want to have 12 additional spots, each consisting of approximately four square feet of space.

There are 863 square feet of space in the store is allocated to alcohol display space.

Roche Bros. is also increasing storage space at the back of the store from 9 by 17 to 11 by 20 square feet.

Roche Bros. is open on Sunday mornings but will have to cover alcohol displays until noon.

“They will be covering the displays with fabric covering that can be easily placed on and removed during the off hours,” said James Ferber, Roche Bros.' Director of Real Estate, at the Aug. 26 meeting of the Westwood Board of Selectmen.

Store Manager James Visconti said most customers know when they can’t buy alcohol. “We have signage now. The customers know and have been very good about it.”

Visconti said the store currently has displays in the aisles and that’s where they’ll remain, though he did say the store may not use all approved stations all the time.

“We've selected spots around the store where we can match the signs and be able to tell people what might be a good match with what they’re eating.” 

Selectman Patrick Ahearn complimented the oversight of the store’s Beer and Wine Manager and asked Visconti if he was concerned that, with an increased number of alcohol locations throughout the store, that the beer and wine manager would lose control of the product.

Visconti said he was not concerned.

Town licensing administrator Louise Rossi told selectmen that RB had obtained the necessary permissions from the Building Department, Board of Health, and the Fire Department, and that the Alcohol Committee had recommended approval.

The hearing had been advertised and 42 abutters had been notified, however, there were no comments from the public.

The Westwood Board of Selectmen unanimously approved the alterations proposed by Roche Bros.