Sharon D’Mello and Francis D’Mello, Owner, That’s the Spirit Shoppe.

That’s the Spirit Shoppe
18 Plains Road
Essex, CT

Square footage: 2,600

Years in operation: 13 years

By Sara Capozzi

In a town known for its cultural attractions, cozy shops and riverfront bistros, That’s the Spirit Shoppe is yet another unique stop for residents and visitors to Essex.

Run by Owner Francis D’Mello, the shop has been serving customers since 2011. D’Mello purchased the store and ran it from its previous location on Main Street in Essex village for five years before seeking a different location that would draw in more shoppers. He found it just a few miles away on Plains Road in a building that had once housed a gas station and garage, which is still visible in the shop’s distinct look. The move was advantageous for his business. “I was lucky to move into a very convenient location when I moved from downtown and into an independent building,” D’Mello said. “I was paying very heavy rent on Main Street.”

During the past 13 years, D’Mello has developed a loyal customer base of locals, summer tourists and boaters frequenting the town’s four marinas and two yacht clubs. “Boating is a big business in the summertime, but, otherwise, I usually survive with my locals who are here every day,” he said. “Both my regular customers and we also have big buyers who buy their regular supplies for their wine cellars every few months.”

D’Mello explained that his customer base has increased since the pandemic because a lot of New York residents have bought summer cottages to live in year-round. During the warmer months, people driving down 153 toward Westbrook from the Simsbury and Glastonbury areas often visit on their way to the shore. “It’s very convenient for them to stop in here,” D’Mello said. “So, I get a bump in sales in May, June, July and August.”

That’s the Spirit Shoppe caters to a lot of wine customers, making up about 40% of its sales, D’Mello estimates. The remaining 60% is divided equally between spirits and the beer, seltzer and RTD category. Besides wine, popular items include THC/CBD seltzers and IPAs from craft brewers.

A veteran of the restaurant industry, D’Mello owned the Udupi Bhavan restaurant in Middletown, which he sold in 2016. “It was a good business for me,” he reflected. “I was making good money, but you have to draw the line.” He ultimately decided to leave the restaurant world in search of better work hours. He purchased his first package store, Lake Shore Package Store, in 2006. He sold Lake Shore in 2022 in order to focus solely on That’s the Spirit Shoppe.

D’Mello’s children, Sharon and Alron, are students at the University of Connecticut and help out at the store on weekends and during school breaks. The team is diligent in keeping fresh items in stock, especially craft beer and white wines. That’s the Spirit Shoppe regularly gives in-store tastings every Friday, with an emphasis on the summer months. The store also provides delivery services to customers in the neighborhood and the town’s marinas, which, combined with its best-in-class customer service, keeps them coming back.