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By KARA O'CONNOR

Villager Staff Writer


WILTON -- By the beginning of April, the town of Wilton will have its first liquor store, said Mitch Ancona of Ancona's Wines and Liquors.

At its meeting Monday night, the Planning and Zoning commission unanimously approved Ancona's application to open a package store at 5 River Road in Wilton Center.

This is the first package store application approved since Wilton residents passed a ballot question Nov. 3 allowing alcohol sales through package store permits.

Sally Poundstone, chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission, said 5 River Road is a good spot for Wilton's first package store.

"I do think that Wilton Center is a good location for this package store," said Poundstone. "And we are looking forward to having a successful businessman come to our community."

Ancona, a Redding resident and spokesperson for "Wilton For Wine," the group which initiated a petition to get the package store question on the ballot, said the next step is getting approval from the state.

"Now that this process is over, I'm almost ready to start renovating that space," said Ancona. "I still have to get my application approved by the state, though, and that can take up to two weeks -- so it's still going to be a while."

Ancona said he will start buying inventory for the store, putting in floorboards and painting the interior and exterior of the building once his application is approved by the state.

"It's going to take about a month or so to get everything ready before the store can open," he said. "But this is the fun part -- I'm excited to start."

Ancona said he is currently deciding what he is going to name his new package store.

"I think I'm going to name this new store Ancona's Wines and Liquors of Wilton," he said. "But I'm still on the fence. I will have some time to think about that. I'm not in a rush."

The Planning and Zoning Commission also held two public hearings Monday regarding package store applications for 203 Danbury Road and 142 Old Ridgefield Road. The commission closed both hearings and will vote on the two locations at their next meeting on Monday, Feb. 22.

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