More bells, whistles, high-end booze and wine will greet customers at the new State Liquor and Wine Outlet

New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlet workers spent Monday getting their new store at the Ridge ready for Tuesday's opening. (Rochester Voice photo)

ROCHESTER - The New Hampshire Liquor Commission opens its newest Liquor and Wine Outlet at the Ridge on Tuesday, with features like high-end temperature controlled wine vaults and iPad kiosks for perusing inventory and wine and food pairings to name just a couple of the upgrades over its former store at the Lilac Mall.

The 20,000-square-foot state-of-the-art retail space will feature more than 6,600 sizes and varieties of wines and spirits.

The commission anticipates this new store will be generating $9.5 million in sales each year, and replaces both the existing Lilac Mall store on Route 125 in Rochester and the Route 11 site in Farmington, commission officials said.

"NHLC is extremely excited to open this brand new New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet in Rochester as part of our ongoing effort to strategically renovate or relocate our New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets," said NHLC Chairman Joseph Mollica. "At 20,000-square-feet, this new store provides a tremendous selection of products, new features and a comfortable shopping environment. We are constantly evaluating our stores looking for opportunities to optimize our sales success, which last year reached an all-time record of nearly $700 million. This new store will serve our customers in Farmington, Rochester, and neighboring communities in Maine, as well as the traveling public."

The new Rochester store - on Route 11, a main artery to the Lakes Region and the White Mountains - is expected to see an exponential sales increase in the summer months when tourists flock to New Hampshire.

"Waterstone is thrilled to be celebrating the opening of the new, state-of-the-art New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlet at THE RIDGE," said Josh Levy, Principal at Waterstone Retail. "This spectacular new store will be the fourth New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlet in our portfolio thanks to a successful, longstanding partnership with NHLC."

The new Rochester New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet will showcase special sections devoted to premium and ultra-premium spirits, LED fixtures and spacious aisles.

The new store will also feature an Outlet Price Busters and Wine Power Buys section.