With its shelves half-full with bottles of merlot and champagne, the Wine Crate, a shop located across the street from Molly's Restaurant and Bar, is closing its doors after being open for two years.
Owner Matt Pomerville was inspired to open the Wine Crate in fall 2011 after visiting several wine stores in the New England area, noting that people were often apprehensive about the wines they were purchasing, he said in an interview in 2011.
He decided to open a store where customers feel comfortable asking questions about wine.
Pomerville did not respond to requests for comment by press time.
The Wine Crate offered community members free wine classes and wine tastings. The store also sold cheeses, handmade cutting boards and bowls, chocolates paired with wine and wine-related gadgets. The Wine Crateaimed to elevate interest and appreciation of wine, through education and personalized experience.
"Since wine is about people, why not have a dedicated place where our community is at the core,where relationships are built and wine enjoyed," the company's website said.
Many students interviewed said that they had never visited the store.
"The Wine Crate is only for alumni, professors and wine snobs," Adam Hann '15 said. "Dartmouth students never bother with it."
Nigel Leeming, the owner of Murphy's On the Green and 3 Guys Basement Barbecue, said the Wine Crate competed with Norwich Wine & Spirits in Vermont and New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlet's two stores.
"In Hanover, you have to understand the market place," Leeming said. "You have to know who you are, who your audience is and how to sell it to them. You have to keep people prime for business."
Peter Rutledge '88, the owner of Norwich Wine & Spirits, said in Hanover's competitive market, businesses need to build a good reputation with the community to be successful.
"I think as a whole people have a lot of really disappointing experiences in buying wine, and it takes a long time to build up a reputation as a place where you're not going to have those disappointing experiences," he said.
Several other former Hanover businesses have been forced to shut their door in the last few years. In 2010, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream closed after for 20 years in Hanover. Gusanoz's Mexican Restaurant, which operated in the same building as Ben & Jerry's, closed in September 2011. Mai Thai Cuisine closed its doors earlier this year.
John Pessoa '16 said many new businesses in Hanover struggle to survive because students at the College prefer the stores they are familiar with.
"I think it's hard for new businesses to come to Hanover because we've had places like CVS and Murphy's for so long," Pessoa said. "It's like we just go to the places that are familiar to us."
The Wine Crate's Twitter account, which announced the closing on Sept. 8, said all merchandise is currently 20 percent off.
