By James Atkinson
One of Western Australia's most successful farmers will open his first big box liquor store this weekend, with planning already underway for another four similar outlets.
Tony Galati will open a 1500 square metre Liquor Shed adjoining his existing Spud Shed fresh produce store in Jandakot, Perth, on Saturday.
He told TheShout he has already applied to open Liquor Sheds in Wanneroo and Kelmscott, and Balvidis and Mandurah are next in line.
"It's going to be very hard, but we've had a lot of retail experience," he said.
"I think we'll get a lot of support from the suppliers, because if we keep on going the way we're going, we're only going to have two retailers, and a lot suppliers don't want to be in that situation." [continued below]
Tony Galati
Galati, whose family grows table grapes, said Liquor Shed will range mostly West Australian wines from local producers he claims are suffering due to the market dominance of Coles and Woolworths.
"I'm not a drinker myself but I've listened to a lot of wine producers over the last four or five years and seen their frustration," he said.
"There's an opportunity for us to do something for them."
But Liquor Shed will also range imported and other Australian wines as well as beer and spirits.
"Once they visit our first store, they'll see there's a point of difference," Galati said.
"We've got a sampling bar, so if you're not sure of a wine, you can sample it and compare it. We're not going to be a big box booze store that sells cheap liquor. We're trying to sell it with food as well."
"You'll get a six-pack of beer and we'll put a free pizza with it, because we make our own pizzas. We're doing barbeque packs, we're doing cheese platters, we're doing smallgoods platters – we're going to incorporate them with liquor."
Galati said it was tough navigating WA's liquor licensing regime to open his first Liquor Shed.
"Believe me it wasn't easy. They don't just give them out – it took nearly two years and a lot of money," he said.
i have always been agaist two supermarkets taking the market so they can charge what they like saying it is australian grown when it is not having the spud shed here is a great thing for the public but also for the growers.
now the good news is we are going to get a liquorshed which i think is only a good thing for w a.
keep going for it great job
Tony you’re a legend, the major two need completion before the fully control the markets and raise the prices because we have nowhere else to shop. Do the Pollies forget who they work for or only remember the functions, holidays and other kick backs they receive to allow this monopoly to occur under our noses, certainly wouldn’t get away with this ludicrous behaviour in the USA. When will Tony start selling fuel at the “Fuel Shed†with real customer service (check oil & tyre pressures & wash the car window) like it should be for the price we pay.