By Hayley Conole
The Wine Rack on the corner of Bank and Somerset was criticized last week for contributing to problems in the area.
New Somerset Village BIA Chair Elie Gharib identified the small liquor store as a problem in the troubled area, which he has vowed to clean up.
These claims have been met with shock from the Wine Rack store.
Rob Nellis, store manager of the Wine Rack, says the comments published in Centretown News were the first he had heard concerning his store.
“I was shocked we were named as one of the problems when the police actually feel that we have been part of the solution,” he says.
“There’s going to be a liquor store of some kind in the neighbourhood. There’s one in every neighbourhood in Ottawa, but not all are as conscientious as we are.”
Nellis says that his staff are properly trained and certified by the Wine Commission of Ontario and that his business turns away more customers than the LCBO, with a store just a few blocks away.
“All of my staff are able to identify a drunk person and we have no problems turning them away.”
“We’re a smaller company and we can’t afford to be caught violating our liquor licence. We don’t take any chances,” Nellis says
The Wine Rack only sells wines made in Ontario, many of which are higher in price than other wines that are found in the LCBO.
Nellis says the sherry preferred by the ‘rough people’ Gharib refers to is only a small percentage of the products actually carried by the Wine Rack.
“I think (Gharib) is horribly misinformed,” says Nellis. “I serve over 6,500 people in a month and out of that number, maybe 10 are identifiable alcoholics.”
Nellis says that the majority of his clientele consists of young students and local people who want to buy a bottle of wine to have with dinner.
Joanne Halpin, a student and resident of the Somerset area, is a regular visitor to the Wine Rack.
“I often go to the Wine Rack on my way home from classes or work if I’m expecting visitors for dinner,” she says. “It’s a very convenient location if all I need is a bottle of wine.”
Nellis says that drugs are the real problem and dismisses Gharib’s claims that his business is a part of the problems plaguing the area.
Somerset Ward Coun. Diane Holmes says she doesn’t think it’s a problem to have a wine store on the street and that the area has been improving significantly over the past few months.
Holmes says the recent undercover police crackdown on drug selling has been a particular success.
“I’ve had comments from a lot of people saying how much safer (the area) is,” she says.
“It’s a matter of remaining vigilant, police presence is needed regularly on the street, otherwise there will be a breakdown into drug selling.”
Holmes says she supports Gharib’s appointment as the new Somerset Village BIA chair.
“I know that he has lots of energy and he will do all he can to keep the area moving up.”