Wine at Wegmans? Not without a fight!

 In this tough economy Wegmans is advertising on TV and radio stations for the first time in years, but it's not to compete with Tops and Wal-Mart. Wegmans wants wine on its shelves.

Right now the governor's budget includes a proposal to allow wine sales at grocery stores, but it won't happen without a fight. A fight that will go from Rochester to Albany on Tuesday.

The Wegmans advertisement starts with saying, "Prohibition ended in failure 75 years ago."

You don't see Wegmans logo in the ad, but you do hear its message.

The advertisement goes on to say, "New York State may finally join 35 other states and let grocery stores sell wine."

"I think it's a great idea," said Wegmans shopper Christina Mancuso.

Another shopper Jon Bridges added, "I would like to see wine at Wegmans just for the convenience."

Wegmans Vice Chairman Paul Speranza, Jr. thinks adding wine to his store's line-up would mean more jobs and more money for the state.

"Quite frankly, we need a boost in particular in Upstate New York, and this is the sort of thing that would do it," said Speranza.

He believes the proposal would give wineries 18,000 more outlets in the state to sell their product.

He also says it would create $159 million in revenue for the state, and it would create about 2,000 new jobs.

On top of that, Speranza says surveys show 70 percent of customers want to see wine on Wegmans shelves.

Susan Bakolas is in the other 30 percent.

"I don't really think it's necessary," she said.

Bakolas is one Wegmans customer who is thinking about the livelihood of liquor stores. "It's easier at a grocery store for customers," said Bakolas. "They're going to forget about the liquor stores."

Don Bombace of Farmington is a liquor store owner. He tells a much different tale than Wegmans. Bombace says wine at grocery stores is a death sentence for his business.

"We're estimating between 5,000 and 6,000 jobs will be lost, and 1,000 liquor stores will go out of business within the first year," Bombace said.

He is working with wineries and other liquor stores to stop this proposal in its tracks. Bombace is headed to Albany along with other liquor store and winery owners to plead their case.

Wegmans is also planning a postcard campaign to lawmakers. They hope to show that customers want wine at grocery stores.

"Nobody likes change," said Speranza. "That's what we're dealing with, but hopefully they have the ability to compete like any other business."

Some customers see both sides.

"I can understand why they would be worried," said Mancuso. "Because if Wegmans starts selling wine that could potentially slow down their business."

It appears the wineries are being pressured from both sides on this issue. Bombace says only three area wineries support wine sales in grocery stores.

But Speranza says the wineries were threatened with their bottles being pulled off the shelves if they supported the idea.

We found out Fox Run, Miles Wine Cellars and Anthony Road Wine Company are already working with Wegmans.

Speranza says the late Bob Wegman always wanted wine in his stores.

He says Wegmans was disappointed year after year when this was shot down by the state, but he believes now the time is right for wine at Wegmans.