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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, May 12, 2010 · 10 Newest LCBO store also the largest in Oakville By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF If you find it difficult to pick your drink, wait until you see this store. One of the largest LCBO stores in Ontario has opened its doors in Oakville and will offer more than 3,200 alcoholic products, including wines, spirits, beers, cocktails and coolers. The store, located in the Olde Oakville Market Place, held its grand opening last week where hundreds of people turned up for the cork popping ceremony. "If you notice there is a buzz in the room," Mayor Rob Burton said in a speech. "And the buzz you hear is the sound of happy shoppers." The 16,200 square-foot store has 11,500 square feet of shopping space. It also has one of the largest Vintages fine wine and spirits sections with more than 1,500 products. But aside from the large display isles of products, the store has several LCBO firsts. The store has a wine-tasting bar where people can sample up to CLAUDIO CUGLIARI / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER OFFICIAL TOAST: On hand for the opening of the new LCBO Olde Oakville Market Place store are (l-r) LCBO President and CEO Bob Peter, store manager Reg Garner and LCBO Vice President of Vintages Tom Wilson. four wines per visit. Customers have to pay for the samples. There is a kitchen where people can sample various food choices alongside the wines and there is also a humidity and temperature controlled room for high-end wines. "This (the taste bar) is unprecedented in our organization. You will be able to taste premium and ultra-premium products before you buy them," said Tom Wilson, vice-president of Vintages at LCBO. He indicated there would be 52 wines and sparkling wines at a time at the bar on a rotational basis. The store also has 110 exclusive and rare products in the store. "This will obviously be a destination for Oakville, but it will also be a great destination for the Golden Horseshoe and we're really excited about that," Wilson told the gathering. The store has more than 200 VQA wines and 180 wines produced in Ontario. This is the sixth LCBO in Oakville. Andrew Murie, CEO of MADD Canada, also made a presentation at the ceremony where he thanked LCBO staff for their diligence in selling alcoholic products. "The staff make sure that minors don't get alcohol; they make sure that intoxicated people don't leave the store and put others in danger and we really appreciate that," he said. The LCBO also raises money, through customer contributions, for Ian Anderson House cancer hospice located on the Mississauga-Oakville border. Its founder, Margaret Anderson, thanked the organization for the support at the ceremony as well. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario is an Ontario Crown corporation. The new store is located at 321 Cornwall Rd.