WILMINGTON — Wine lovers are sure to flock to Renaissance Market off Military Cutoff Road by the end of the month as retail giant Total Wine makes its Wilmington debut.
The grand opening is slated for June 30 to celebrate the superstore’s 13th opening in North Carolina. VIP attendees will get a sneak peek the day before, during a ribbon cutting.
READ MORE: Total Wine plans first Wilmington location
The market boasts a selection of more than 8,000 wines and 2,500 beers and will carry an array of local vendors.
Store manager Dawn Ward said grand opening activities are planned for the whole weekend, including local wineries and breweries on site offering tastings. The details of the day-to-day events are still being confirmed.
Between 20 to 30 staff will be on payroll throughout the year, with additional seasonal employees on board during the peak summer months, Ward added.
Originating in Delaware in 1991 as the brainchild of brothers David and Robert Trone, Total Wine operates over 230 stores across the country. Before this store, the closest one in operation to Wilmington was Myrtle Beach and opened in 2019.
The local 22,700-square-foot space, formerly Earth Fare, was completely reconstructed, including demolition of existing walls and ceilings and improved lighting. Contractors also built walk-in coolers and a humidor for cigars and tobacco products.
Also carrying seltzers, mixers and accessories, the Wilmington store includes classroom space to host special events and wine-related classes. The store applied for an exemption permit from state public health to host occasional tastings with single-use cups.
Total Wine will donate a portion of sales from June 29 to July 3 to local nonprofit Coastal Horizons, a substance abuse treatment center.
“We work with local partners and different charities nationwide,” Ward said.
The store is located at 943 Military Cutoff Rd. Hours of operation will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
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