Comings and Goings: Liquor Locker Relocating

By Dave Matlow

After almost 44 years on Westport’s Main Street, the Liquor Locker is moving to the Compo Shopping Center near Gold’s Deli.

Harvey Skolnick: moving after almost 44 years on Main Street. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

“I’m really excited,” said owner Harvey Skolnick. “It’s a new venture, this change after all these years. And the new location is not far from here so it’s basically the same for my clientele.” 

The move from 68 Main St. for one of the few remaining privately owned retail stores on Main Street will come “in the spring,” Skolnick said.

“The rent for the same amount of space—about 1,100 square feet—will be about half of what I pay on Main Street,” he said.

He added that the new store will have better parking in both the front and back.

“The new shop will continue to focus on wines which make up about 65-70 percent of our business,” Skolnick said.

Reminiscing about his almost 44 years in the same Main Street location Skolnick recalled that when the Liquor Locker opened in 1968, there were three liquor stores on Main Street.

In addition, there were three supermarkets and three hardware stores, including the Hartman hardware store next door to the Liquor Locker -– and all were independently owned, he said.

“This leaves Westport Pizza, Oscar’s and Achorn’s Drug Store as the last of the independently owned shops on the street,” Skolnick said,

In observing Main Street trends, Skolnick said that “traffic has changed -– it’s now all mall stores.

The Liquor Locker, a Main Street mainstay since 1968, will relocate to the Compo Shopping Center in the spring. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

“The Internet has affected Main Street. People are not coming to town. They’re shopping on the Internet at the websites of the same stores. Traffic has slowed down.”

Skolnick said that he never planned to be in the wine business, but circumstances led to it. 

His father, a jeweler, wanted to open a liquor store, which he did at the current location. 

But “after six months my father became very ill and could no longer operate the store,” he said.

Skolnick had recently returned from military service and began working in the store which, he said, was going to be a temporary situation. “Here I am after almost 44 years,” he said.

“I don’t have many regrets, even after 44 years,” he said. “I will not miss the street. It’s a big move for me but an exciting one. 

“Our lease ends here in a few months, so we may be closed for a few days while we make the move to the Compo Shopping Center. 

“Most of our customers are not aware of the move yet.  We are a relationship business—we have good relationships with our customers.”