Wegman's Wants to Serve Alcohol, Restaurant Style

Wegman's wants to serve alcohol, restaurant style, at its Northborough Crossing supermarket, and has had legislation filed to enable that.

Selectmen are unanimously supporting that legislation. They voted Monday night to send a letter of support to the Legislature's Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, which, Town Administrator John Coderre said, handles all alcohol licensing issues.

State law prohibits one licensee from having both a package store license and a pouring license, Coderre said.

The legislation filed by state Rep. Harold Naughton Jr. (D-Clinton) on Wegman's behalf would allow a licensee to have both, he said.

Wegman's, "as part of their business model," would "really would like to have almost like a cafe with a restaurant almost inside of a mall," Coderre said.

Town officials discussed with Wegman's that if the alcohol was served in "an area that's segregated" and Wegman's "treated it like a restaurant, in a mall, with wait staff regulating it, the town would probably look very favorably upon that," Coderre said.

"The long and the short of it is, they've done what we've asked them to do," he said.

"This makes perfect sense, given their very unique business model up at Shops Way."

Wegman's representative Bill Congdon requested the letter of support, Coderre said.

Congdon said he would fax the letter to Wegman's legal team Monday night.

Selectman Jeff Amberson said Wegman's has made several promises over the years and "has done every one of them, and more."

"They've given back to the community. They're just a really class outfit," Amberson said.