Route One Wine and Spirits has a long history of being family owned and operated since 1942. We share some of our memories of its history with you here:
In 1942, Sunnyside Package Store was originally located on the opposite side of Route 1 with a Tydol filling station. In the early 1960’s the store was relocated to its current location on the southbound side of Route 1. It was still known as Sunnyside Package Store. In the 1970’s the building was expanded to include a convenience store. In the 1980’s the building was enlarged one more time to its current size. In 2014, the entire facade of the plaza was redesigned to update the appearance, add a state of the art digital communication board and energy efficient lighting fixtures.
Following our grand re-opening, Route One Wine & Spirits was featured in the Foxboro Reporter:
New look for a familiar town business
By Bera Dunau
It’s gone through two locations, three renovations and four names, but the business that is now known as Route One Wine & Spirits has remained a Foxboro institution throughout its existence. And this weekend, patrons will get to celebrate a new chapter in its life, as the store will be hosting a grand re-opening.
Brothers Marc and Derek Civlinski own Route One Wine & Spirits, and are the third generation to enjoy this distinction. Marc said that the decision to change the name was in a large part thanks to the prominent place that wine has assumed in the store’s business model.
“Wine right now is about 50 percent of our business,” said Marc. “We sell everything here from $3.99 up to $800 a bottle.”
The building’s new name became official when its new signage was unveiled a few weeks ago. New lighting and a new security system was also recently added in to the store, and the brothers plan to refurbish the parking lot on Memorial Day.
“Our focus has been to just freshen things up,” said Marc
In many ways this is a continuation of the renovation that started in 2013, which was kicked off when a woman accidentally crashed her car into the storefront. No one was hurt, including the driver, but the renovation that followed is one of a long line of physical changes that have taken place at the 74-year-old business.
Sunnyside
The original location of the business, then called Sunnyside Package Store, was across the street from where Route One Wine & Spirits is now. The business moved to its current space, which was originally a Hess Gas Station, in the 1960s, and underwent a renovation in the 1970s and another renovation in the 1980s. Over the course of these developments, Sunnyside Package Store became Sunnyside Liquors which became Route One Liquor Mart.
“It was received very well,” when asked about how the most recent name change has been taken.
He did share, however, that concerns have been raised that the old Liquors letters would be taken down, something that Marc said isn’t going to happen. Indeed, the letters were refurbished last year.
Route One Wine & Spirits sells thousands of alcoholic products, and has the ability to custom-order what it doesn’t have. Marc said that the establishment is also keeping track of market trends, noting that local beers are currently “hot as a pistol.”
To celebrate its new name, Route One Wine & Spirits will be holding a grand re-opening celebration from May 26 to May 29. The first three days will feature tastings from 4 to 7 p.m., and customers will be given free gift bags on all four days. There will also be drawings for prizes that include Red Sox tickets.
“Come in and check out the new store,” said Derek. “Hopefully the weather’s good.”
Another celebration looks to be in store for the business next year as well, as it will be celebrating its 75th anniversary in business.
Route One Wine & Spirits 