Main Street Wine & Spirits
1142 Main Street
Coventry, RI

Square footage: 6,000

Years in operation: 10 years

By Sara Capozzi

Serving the Coventry area under the ownership of Craig Penardo, Main Street Wine & Spirits recently celebrated 10 years in business. Originally known as Shoppers Liquors, the store was established in 1968 by Penardo’s uncle, Sen. Walter Mruk Sr., and was later run by Penardo’s cousin Kevin Mruk. After Kevin’s unexpected death in 2011, Penardo sought to continue the family business, purchasing the shop in 2013.

The store needed an update and Penardo made some “surface level” improvements at first. Then, he acquired the entire property, including the building that formerly housed four businesses. A native of Coventry, Penardo saw an opportunity to create the type of shopping destination he felt the region was missing, asking customers what they wanted from their neighborhood package store.

“The area didn’t have a store that catered to what people were really looking for,” he said. “So when I thought about the remodel, I took into account about two-and-a-half years of being here and said I believe the town wants something much different than what exists out in the market space and I want to build a store that I want to shop in myself.”

Penardo razed the old building and its outbuildings, creating a new structure and increasing its footprint from 1,100 to 6,000 square feet. He also thoughtfully designed the store’s interior with the help of his mother, Andrea, who helped choose the neutral color scheme, soft recessed lighting and clearly marked sections, with selections arranged on lower shelving for easy viewing of and access to products.

“We put a lot of emphasis on a relaxed feeling in the store so that as soon as customers walk in, they can immediately assess where they want to be, buy what they want and the response is normally, ‘Wow, I had a really comfortable shopping experience,’” he said.

Main Street sets itself apart with Penardo’s emphasis on building and keeping a strong team who provides personalized customer service. “I go above and beyond making sure that I’m making the right investments in my team,” Penardo said. “And the customer feedback that I get from around town is just exceptional … Our staff knows so many of our customers by name or by face.”

Shoppers are also drawn to the store’s selection ranging from premium spirits to fine wines and a curated assortment of craft beer. “We do have a unique product mix here. So while we carry everything core, we have an extremely unique selection of organic, vegan and low-sulfite wines,” Penardo said.

He stays active in the community, including serving as Vice President of the Rhode Island Liquor Operators Collaborative for three years. “Through that organization, I’ve gotten to know dozens of liquor store owners throughout Rhode Island; we’re all trying to achieve the same thing and support our teams and support our families. Working together collectively is so much better than working against each other,” Penardo said.

He also started a charitable foundation with his mother in memory of his late father, Sgt. Domenic Penardo, who served Coventry as a police officer and a detective for many years. The Domenic G. Penardo Scholarship Foundation raises money for Coventry High School students who are interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement or criminology and supports the Coventry Police Department Union.

Upon reflecting on Main Street’s success, Penardo said, “I’m lucky to be in a great community and the fact that we built [this store] and designed it for the community. I was trying to listen to the public and provide them with what they wanted, so I think we hit it out of the park.”