May 31, 2013 By Bill Parry,
Long Island City, NY: Change is coming to Court Square and one retail business has undergone a transformation to keep pace with it.
SquareWine & Spirits, located at 24-20 Jackson Ave., decided to start undergoing a makeover last year as it aims to appeal to the influx of new residents.
The neighborhood, which was largely a commercial district, is becoming much more residential. About 3,500 dwelling units are expected to hit the market in the next 5 years— starting with the 700-unit Rockrose development called Linc LIC that is about to start leasing.
Maegan Kovatch, the general manager of SquareWine & Spirits, said it was time for a change. “We wanted to refresh ourselves and make the business more appealing to a changing customer base.”
Gone is the old name Court Square Wine and Spirits. The re-branding included new signage, a cooler and chic logo, and a new awning and banner along the side of the building.
Old name and logo
“We want to appeal to the millennial crowd that will move into all the new buildings,” Kovatch said. Her staff of “mixologists” will cater more to fans of artisan spirits and connoisseurs of wine.
As part of its efforts to engage the community, SquareWine & Spirits now offers free tastings between 4:30 and 7:30pm on Thursdays and Fridays. It also offers wine party packages where a staffer provides lessons on wines.
“We’re becoming more creative, more fun and educational,” Kovatch said. “We even cater to puppy parties.”
“Dog lovers and their pets come to wine parties for charity,” Kovatch said. “The parties are very popular.”
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