Why would someone use a valuable liquor license to open up a new business that sold just wine priced $10 or below? No beer or liquor. That is the question often asked of Darryl and Sharon Fusco, the owners of Wine Central in Warren, next to Dunkin Donuts.
Wine Central or 10 Below for short, recently opened up in Warren, in the center of the town near the gigantic American Flags. According to the Fuscos, there’s been a real void of quality wines in the $10 and below price range. While there are thousands of terrific wines available at that price from their suppliers, many shops only dedicate a small section of their store to wines in that price range because of a lack of space.
Others are simply unaware of how big the market is. The numbers definitely support the Fuscos’ claim. According to Nielsen, a global market research firm (excluding restaurants, bars etc.), 78% of all wine bought in the US averages just $10 and 55% of all wines sold in the US averages under $8. In fact, the average price of a bottle of Cabernet sold in the US was $8.66 last year. Chardonnay sold for an average of $6.91.
Amazingly, the US market for good wines $10 and under is massive – $34 billion in 2017. According to Darryl Fusco, the reason for the startling statistics seems obvious. “The vast majority of consumers is not connoisseurs and just wants a nice bottle of wine to open and drink, without too much thought or too high price tag. Savvy consumers know they can get terrific wines without spending a lot, or waiting years for pricey bottles to mature.”
In preparation for a December grand opening, the Wine Central crew tasted close to 900 wines, and picked out their favorites for the new store. The fusion of a great concept and the Fuscos’ 20 years of industry experience resulted in a shop with the ambience of a fine wine store, packed with an impressive selection of high-quality inexpensive wines.
According to the Fuscos, often the first time a person walks in, we hear “Wow what a nice shop, what a great idea!” The next time that person is in, we hear “wow I loved the wines I bought here recently!”