Downtown Liquor

I’ve been reading the reviews of this place and I’d like to teach you young ones a thing or two about business. Every time a business owner runs your card, he pays a hefty fee to do so… usually 3−5% of the entire purchase… so while he’s charging you a mere $ 1 for the transaction, on $ 30 he’s just making his money back. Anything over $ 30, he’s losing. Many businesses offer cash discounts but sometimes this is hard to do with liquor. So, be kind and reasonable because he’s just trying to make living and trying to run a business that is taxing him to death to keep his product on the shelves so that whiny little 20 – 30 can drink booze they probably shouldn’t be putting on a charge card in the first place. I haven’t shopped here, but I’m going to tomorrow just out of principle!

Owner is rude, short tempered, and abrasive. The selection isn’t even that good. ⁰⁄₁₀ will not be returning.

They do have decent array of product. The store is kept well, but the attitude and vibe in there is less than friendly and customers just seem to be an annoyance to them. It took maybe 5 minutes for someone to help me — I was the only person in the store. This is important because If you want liquor it is behind the register so you have to point and ask (a policy I don’t really like but one I can understand given the downtown location).
Eventually a young guy came over to me and it was clearly annoying to him when I started asking about prices. Seeing that he was so annoyed I asked if maybe he had a price list. He looked at me sideways and he said «tell me what you want and I’ll tell you the price.» Well I didn’t want to play that game so I just picked something that I get everywhere.
When the guy rang me up and told me about the $ 1 surcharge I said «really? Even on a $ 30 purchase?» He said «actually it goes up the more you spend.» I laughed and said «that can’t be great for business.» And in an instant I got the liquor store equivalent of «no soup for you!» When in one motion the dude cancelled the purchase and pulled the bottle from the bag and put it back on the shelf saying «you don’t have to like it, sir. Don’t tell me about business. We are one of the top places in the state. Go buy someplace else.»
I then explained that I still wanted the bottle and that I would pay his fee but it was just that I didn’t like his surcharge policy. So we made the purchase in awkward silence. Just a bizarre experience.
I’ll probably go back again at some point since this place is the only game in town for hard booze but they could use a little customer service training.
Note: If it is true that a debit card has no fee he didn’t tell me that even though the card I used was a debit card.

Staff is rude and they charge extra to pay with a debit card. I walked in to buy a lottery ticket and he said, «we’re not doing lottery right now,» because I guess too many other people wanted to buy liquor. I was going to buy some liquor as well, and then he said they need to charge me extra for using a debit card. I let them know I’d bring my business elsewhere. They clearly only care about themselves.

Really? You charge customers a $ 1 surcharge for paying with a credit card? Beat it. I will buy my liquor elsewhere.

Let’s run through why this place doesn’t suck together:
1. It’s a liquor store and they have liquor +1
2. They also have wine and beer +1
3. They have snacks +1
4. It’s not a dirty bodega-​style joint… it’s actually quite clean +1
5. It’s attached to a taco joint +1
6. They know how to recommend quality, and sometimes good closouts, depending on what you want. I can ask, «What [insert type of booze here] do you have right now that’s the best bang for my buck without going super cheap» and get a great bottle of that booze.” +1
7. They know how to push the bad, full-​of-​hassle customers through the register fast +1
8. They are always friendly and attentive to me +1
9. A lot of guys are always smoking cigars outside. Ugh, that’s a –1 for me.
10. You get charged a buck for using a credit card (use a debit card and it’s cool). –1
Those last two negatives don’t even come close to deal-​breakers given everything else. Overall, that’s a 4-​star list.

Big selection, don’t hesitate to ask where something specific is, they always know exactly where something is that I might be looking for.
Only annoying thing is that I often get badgered into using my debit card instead of my credit card on smaller purchases. Considering how often I go here, I know I’m missing out on major reward points :(Guess I should just start buying in bulk.

I will not come here again.
As Rick W. so aptly noted in his review, this is indeed a liquor store. They have liquor. They have beer. They have wine. However, I disagree that they then, by default, warrant a five-​star review.
This place is seriously lacking in customer service. Maybe I’m crazy, but I like to have my questions answered and even, perhaps, have someone proactively ask me if I have questions. There are a LOT of choices these days, and an informed decision is always best.
Also, IT’S AN EXTRA DOLLAR CHARGE TO USE A CREDIT CARD.
Disgruntled employees coupled with extra fees to pay in a very normal way (I daresay, the most common way, more common than cash)?
No, thanks.
I won’t be back.

Let me start by saying if you’ve been to one liquor store you’ve been to them all. With that said what makes this one stand out to me is the location. You see i have no problem finding alcohol in my neighborhood. However I typically find that the alcohol in my neighborhood is being sold to me by a bartender or waiter, both of whom don’t take kindly to me taking my beverage to go.
Downtown Liquor is just the opposite! They are located less than a block away from my apt and have an awesome selection of beer, wine and liquor all available to go! They will even package your purchases in the infamous «Brown Bag» made famous by liquor stores world wide. Also they’re open late (I believe until 1am on the weekends though they only sell beer and wine after 10.) This is such a convenience for those nights you may want a drink but don’t feel like sitting in a bar or restaurant or when entertaining friends and you need to restock your bar before your guest arrive.
On my last trip I noticed a sign stating that they host wine tastings every Friday from 5:30−8 with several vendors bringing in their latest products for customers to enjoy. Though I haven’t been yet I may have to work this in to a future happy hour.
To sum it up Downtown Liquor is a great place for anyone living downtown to go stock up on all their adult beverage needs.
One side note: I found it quite odd when i asked the cashier for her opinion on two different vodkas and she responded «I don’t know I don’t drink.» It was like asking a car salesman about a car and him responding «I don’t know I don’t drive.»

Can I say this is my favorite liquor store even though it’s the only one relatively close to my house? ‘Cause I’m going to!
Well, the proximity is fantastic, but I love Downtown Liquor for more than just that luxury. Is it because they have a better selection than others? Nah. In fact, I feel like it’s pretty much just average plus a little bit more.
The mixer selection is spot on – juices, a great selection of diet options, and tonics. There is a smaller sized section for vino, and a few coolers set aside for beers. If you’re looking for a specialty wine or micro brew, I’d probably go somewhere else.
But why do I really love Downtown Liquor? Because every time I step in the door, the guy who runs the place jokes with me and tells me I look like I’m 17. Yes, at the ripe age of 25, I hardly ever get carded anymore. It feels good to hear someone tell me I look way younger. And it happens every time. Don’t judge me.
Oh, and did I mention there’s a nifty little ATM in store for those of you like me who hardly ever carry cash. It’s like a one stop shop on the way to awesome-​ville!

What can you say about a liquor store? You go in… pick your bottles… the guy puts them in nice snug paper bags for you and you leave. You don’t really sit around and chat about the credit crunch, fashion or sarah plain’s daughter. This place just gets the job done.
Their hours kind of suck as they close I think at 9 on Friday and Saturday nights and they only take cash for hard liquor which seems kind of shady to me. Other than that it’s pretty good.