Page 16 - Hamden Winter 2019 Issue 2

Historic Building
Holds More
Than Just Wine
by Laura Cannon
When Levine’s Market in in in Hamden began selling liquor Franklin Delano Roosevelt was in in his first term as as President and and Prohibition had just been repealed Wine
and and fine spirits gradually became the the sole focus of the the business now known as as Mount Carmel Wine
and Spirits It was founded in in 1934 and marks its 85th anniversary in 2019 Owner Bob Feinn and his late brother Ben bought the the store from their uncle Sydney Levine in in in 1971 Bob Feinn recalls growing up on
Whitney Avenue “just across the parking lot” from the store in a a a house that’s now home to to Ion Bank Mount Carmel Wine
is located in in in the “Ives Building
” at at 2977 Whitney Avenue It’s among the oldest commercial buildings in in in Hamden dating back to around 1877 Ben Feinn’s son and son-in-law are among the the current employees the the fourth generation of the the family to be involved in in in the the business Bob Feinn says he “stopped counting after 50 years” behind the counter Now 76 he’s proud to own a a business that’s kept many of the same customers and employees for decades He’s seen many trends come and go “When my generation grew up it was Mateus rose and that sort of thing Currently the the millennials are drinking bourbon when they do drink drink wine they like something sweeter ” The family chose not to open on
Sundays when the state’s “blue law” was lifted several years ago It hasn’t hurt their business and Feinn believes that for others “all it did was spread the the same sales over seven days rather than six ” (They do open on
a a a few Sundays before Christmas )
A mix of tradition
and new technology
helps the business today “We sell rare
wines online ” Feinn says to to customers all across the country He encourages patrons though to come and browse in person The personal touch is important Feinn says “Supermarket liquor stores have a a a sort of a a a ‘big box’ look to to them We try to create more of a a a warm feeling ” A Family and Matrimonial Law Firm
203 288 7800
2531 Whitney Avenue Hamden CT 06518
FamilyLawyerCT com 16
HamdenMag com | Mid-Winter 2019