Torrington Super Discount Liquors’ Paresh “Peter” Patel.

Torrington Super Discount Liquors
1923 East Main Street
Torrington, CT

Square footage: 2,000

Years in operation: 1 ½ years

By Sara Capozzi

Owned by Purav Patel and managed by his cousin Paresh “Peter” Patel, Torrington Super Discount Liquors brings a wide selection of sips and friendly customer service to shoppers in the Torrington area. The 2,000-square-foot shop is conveniently located in the Big Lots Plaza on East Main Street, offering plenty of parking for customers and bringing in foot traffic from the adjacent Torrington Super Buffet and other retailers.

A few years ago, Peter Patel had been looking for a new business endeavor after working for years in the gas station industry. He learned about the package store industry from a friend and decided he wanted to pursue that career path.

“I was looking around and it was perfect timing,” Peter Patel said. “I found out [this] store owner was retiring and we bought it from them.” His cousin Purav Patel, who formally owns the store, closed on the purchase in July of 2022, with its second anniversary on the way as deep summer arrives.

They opened in the beginning of August with Peter Patel and his wife, Priti, at the helm. He said they faced a bit of a learning curve as they acclimated to the new industry. “I was a newbie at that time, I didn’t know anything about it,” he said. While the beginning was a bit challenging as the Patels learned about products and the ins and outs of buying, they adapted quickly.

Torrington Super Discount Liquors sees the location’s regular customers remain steady and the Patels, too, have gotten to know them in the past year and a half. “This store has been here for 30 or 40 years, so it’s a well-established business and people know it,” he said.

Patel estimates that 70% to 80% of the customer base is from town and the remaining customers are seasonal shoppers who are passing through or staying at lake houses during the summer months. There are several nearby lakes and nature preserves along with the Farmington River, which attracts new and repeat shoppers.

Items are neatly organized and labeled with clear signage to make shopping a breeze. The popularity of products shifts with the seasons, according to Patel, and popular items include ready-to-drink beverages, seltzers and spirits from neighboring Litchfield Distillery.

The store also carries a wide selection of domestic, imported and craft beer. Shoppers can browse their favorite ice-cold selections in the store’s Beer Cave. In wine, Patel keeps a variety of bottles in stock in a range of price points from bargain brands to selections from smaller producers. Sparkling wines and Champagnes have their own designated coolers among the shops 12 cooler doors to keep selections chilled.

The team inherited the store’s inventory from its previous owners and continue to add to it as they learn from and refine to the tastes of their customers. “We carry a little bit of everything,” Patel said. “And if a customer asks for something, I try to get it the next day.” He has continued to add new products based on customer requests and feedback, which keeps them happy while keeping shelves current.