Total Wine & More, the largest independent liquor store chain in the U.S., plans to open a Chattanooga store at Hamilton Place mall, according to public documents.
The popular high-end chain is known for its wide selection of wines, beers and spirits. Its closest current locations to Chattanooga are in Kennesaw, Georgia, and Knoxville.
An entity called Southern Tennessee Fine Wine and Spirits, doing business as Total Wine & More, applied to the Chattanooga City Council to operate a liquor store at 2220 Hamilton Place Blvd. in a space formerly occupied by Party City.
Kennesaw Georgia and Knoxville
The space covers 20,841 square feet with more than 100 parking spaces, according to a report by the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency. The agency determined that Total Wine & More would be compatible with the area and would not be too close to a park, place of worship, school or day care.
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Total Wine & More would lease the space from CBL Properties, the Chattanooga-based owner of Hamilton Place.
The City Council approved a resolution earlier this month to give a special exceptions permit to the business. The permit is necessary to operate a liquor store under the commercial zoning for the property.
County Regional Planning Agency
"The applicant complies with all of our requirements here under the code," City Attorney Phil Noblett said at the meeting. "This location complies with all the restrictions under local law, and they should be issued a certificate of background investigation here by this body."
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Total Wine & More has not responded to a request for comment on when the store would open. Founded in 1991 by brothers David and Robert Trone, the popular chain operates 292 stores in 30 states. The stores feature more than 8,000 wines, 3,000 spirits and 2,500 beers, according to the Total Wine & More website.
City Attorney Phil Noblett
Total Wine & More operates two stores in Tennessee, in Brentwood and Knoxville.
Contact business reporter Daniel Dassow at [email protected] or 423-757-6318.
Staff file photo by Matt Hamilton/ Total Wine and More is planning a store at Hamilton Place mall in a location formerly occupied by a Party City.
The applicant complies with all of our requirements here under the code.
Where this fits
Drinks trends tend to start in a handful of bars and take years to reach a supermarket shelf. By the time something feels ubiquitous, the people who cared about it first have usually moved on.
The short version
- Total Wine & More, the largest independent liquor store chain in the U.S., plans to open a Chattanooga store at Hamilton Place mall, according to public documents
- The popular high-end chain is known for its wide selection of wines, beers and spirits
- The space covers 20,841 square feet with more than 100 parking spaces, according to a report by the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency
- Total Wine & More would lease the space from CBL Properties, the Chattanooga-based owner of Hamilton Place
- Total Wine & More has not responded to a request for comment on when the store would open
The bottom line
How this plays out on the drinks list will take time to become clear. For now it is a development worth following rather than judging.