A Scarsdale wine merchant is suing to stop a competitor from moving closer to its shop.
Amici Dei Vini petitioned Westchester Supreme Court on Aug. 13 to overturn a recent decision by the State Liquor Authority to allow Westchester Wine Curators to move its storefront about 300 feet.
“Approval of this application would not serve public convenience,” Amici has argued, “and would instead contribute to an already saturated retail liquor market in the surrounding area.”
Amici is owned by Paola Narder and is located at 1 Christie Place, about a block away from the Scarsdale train station.
Westchester Wine Curators is operated by Alyssa Albright. It is moving from 2 Depot Place on the Manhattan-bound side of the Metro North train tracks, to 30 East Parkway, on the other side of the tracks and across the street from the train station. The new location is about 560 feet from Amici’s.
The competitors also share similar names. Amici operates as Scarsdale Wine & Spirits. Westchester Wine Curators operates as Scarsdale Wine Merchants.
In April, Westchester Wine Curators petitioned the State Liquor Authority for permission to move to the new location because its landlord was not renewing its lease.
The new location would serve the same commuters and neighborhood clients, Westchester Wine Curators argued, and would simply shift the storefront several hundred feet. Before and after the move, the four closest liquor stores would be the same and there would be no encroachment on new competitors.
Amici objected, arguing that the new location was “extremely close” to multiple licensed package stores, and though the store would move only a few hundred feet, the new location and old location are distinctive commercial environments.
The State Liquor Authority approved the move on June 16.
Now Amici is asking Westchester Supreme Court to overturn the State Liquor Authority decision. Alternatively, it is asking the court to make the state reconsider the move, allow Amici to participate in the matter, and temporarily restrain Westchester Wine Curators from moving merchandise to 30 East Parkway.
A State Liquor Authority spokesperson declined to comment on pending litigation.
Amici is represented by White Plains attorney Marc S. Oxman.
