Three applicants are vying for two new licenses to sell alcoholic beverages in Arlington.
In March, the town’s voters approved a ballot question to allow two new package store licenses in Arlington, raising the total to eight. The licenses permit businesses to sell sealed alcoholic beverages — such as beer, wine and spirits — for customers to consume off premises.
The Select Board will hold hearings Monday, Sept. 28, for the three applicants.
Here’s a look at the businesses hoping to join Arlington’s alcohol retail market.
Arlington Center Fine Wines
Pietro Giglio has wanted to open a store in Arlington for a long time, and hopes to do so with his business partner Chris Lianos at Arlington Center Fine Wines at 5 Medford St.
This isn’t the first time Giglio has appeared before the town seeking a package store license. He and Lianos initially proposed opening a store in April 2024 but were turned down because no licenses were available.
The two met in 2010 when Giglio was mostly in the catering industry. They envisioned a store that would combine wine and food while creating a space to generate a sense of community.
“Food and wine, that’s what connects people,” Giglio said, “even if you don’t know the person across the table.”
If he gets the license, Giglio hopes to replicate the business model at Ball Square Fine Wines, the Somerville store Lianos has owned since 2000. There, Lianos often hosts food and drink tastings and community events — even serving locally made products.
Lianos said he frequently has patrons from Arlington, and Giglio wanted to bring the selection of drinks in Somerville to the Arlington community.
“We strive with [listening to] what the community needs,” Lianos said. “If I hear customers want to increase our sake selection because there’s more people looking for sake, that’s what we do.”
Ruby Wine and Spirits
Utsav Patel said he has always thought the Arlington Heights business district could be revitalized with a new store. He was looking for a space to open a business and loved how vibrant the area was.
“It’s more of a lively area, and … an underserved pocket of the business district,” said Patel, who wants to open Ruby Wine and Spirits at 1340-1342 Mass. Ave. “It’s like a natural, convenient hub for the local residents there.”
Patel’s family has been in the liquor industry for more than a decade. They’ve built businesses from the ground up in Groton, and he hopes to take that knowledge back to Arlington.
He said another well-run liquor store will always benefit consumers, because it gives them more variety and convenience to quality alcohol.
“We would want to provide an elevated shopping experience rather than just a normal, basic package store,” Patel said. “So then we would [give] more choices, convenience and quality selection — what the customer wants.”
Peter Pan Superette
Nilesh Patel (unrelated to Utsav) has been part of the Arlington community for 28 years, managing Peter Pan Superette at 2 Park Ave. Over the decades, he built a steady stream of regulars at his convenience store — some who even grew up shopping there.
His clientele spanned from Arlington residents to customers from neighboring towns like Lexington, Woburn and Winchester.
When the town voted to approve the additional two licenses, Patel began getting calls and comments from his customers, encouraging him to apply. Some of his customers even began a petition in support of the store, and more than 300 people signed it, he said.
“I [have been] here for a long, long time,” he said. “I [sold] candy to [younger customers], and after 20 years they say ‘Oh, we are now 25 — we need beer from you instead of someone else.’”
Although the store hasn’t sold alcohol before, Patel said he has 13 years of liquor industry experience from other stores where he’s worked. “I hope they give it to me and give me a chance to serve the people instead of somebody from another place,” he said. “[I hope] they give me a chance.”
This story, published Sept. 26, 2026, is part of a partnership between YourArlington and the Boston University Department of Journalism’s Newsroom program.
