Favorite Beer Store?

My favorite beer store is Whole Foods on Houston St in NYC.

WFs might be slightly overpriced on some items, eg Fuller's London Pride at $4.99/pint seems a bit high when you compare it to their price for Schneider Edel Weisse and Weinstephaner Vitus...$3.99/0.5L.

They have a huge selection, maybe a bit light on German and "British" beers. They always have special offerings.

The staff is friendly and helpful, although since they're all young their experience is a bit light.

The store temperature is no higher than 70 degrees and windows are shaded/filtered.

Manhattan is not a beer mecca but WFs probably is the best all-around beer store in NYC.

(Another good beer shop is Met Foods on 2nd Ave between 6th and 7th Streets, they have a line of hard-to-get Eastern European and Russian beers.)

 

What I like in a beer store:
1. Selection - varied & properly stored.
2. Fair Price - if it's $1 more, I don't care as long as it's fresh & has been handled properly. Any more than $1
more than another place, I'm going to where it's cheaper.
3. 12 oz. Singles available at a reasonable price compared with the 4 or 6 pack price.
4. Growler fills using a counter pressure system. I've had growlers filled from the tap and the carbonation is lacking
even if a hose is used to fill from the bottom up.
5. Knowledgeable staff - not the most important since I do my own research but you like to know when something
is coming in or if something special is in the house.

 

Close to home, Im at TJs Beverage in Carrboro or Sam's Quik Shop in Durham often. I go around the corner to Total Wine for in between trips. Ill occasionally go to Raleigh, and when I do, I always go to Bottle Revolution.

 

Selection and price!

 

We have some good ones in Vancouver, but Belmont Station in Portland was freaking heaven for me.

 

Selection and price are big, but I'm willing to bow a bit on the latter if the first is that good and the service is great. Especially if it's on a beer you just don't normally get around these parts (and I'm not even talking rare gouging, but just stuff that doesn't get normal distribution around here).

 

I have to say it is the staff and selection. If they stock what I like AND are easy to talk to about the beers I don't know about its a win win. I want to talk to people about beer, and I like it better when they have a minute or two to talk to me also.

 

How many people would shop at a store that focused mainly on growler fills of the freshest, local beer with a staff that loves and appreciates what they serve?

 

Fresh IPAs and low prices. Having employees that know what they're talking about is also a plus.

 

Gomer's on 99th & Holmes in KC is a God-send. They usually have the best prices (especially when on sale) and they don't seem to run out of limiteds immediately like a few of the more popular stores in the area. Free beer tastings every Friday. Customer for life if they keep it up.

 

Archer Liquors near Midway airport in Chicago.
It's a mile from my house, they sell any bottle/can as a single, they update their site weekly, knowledgeable staff, quality > quantity, and they have food trucks on weekends!

 

Fresh IPAs for sure, I don't care if you have a massive selection if the half dozen IPAs I'm interested in buying were bottled 9 months ago. It drives me nuts when I stop in places around here and they have DFH 90min from January, Founders Centennial from April and Sixpoint Resin that's best by April.

 

I like
1) large selection
2) continual stream of fresh beer, new releases
3) split 4 packs and 6 packs so I can just get 12oz of a beer that I'd otherwise have to get a lot of
4) growlers of special releases
5) when stores have websites so I can order online and pick up at store

I don't like
1) When store keepers say they have something in stock, then it turns out they were thinking of something else when I got there (happens a lot)
2) excess light
3) poor organization such that the computer says they have it in stock, but they can't find it
4) bad websites

I don't care about
1) knowledgable staff
2) price markups to align prices with market dynamics
3) refrigeration
4) growlers of more common beers

 

Never seen or heard of a beer store that offered this. Very cool.

 

1. Selection
2. Price
3. Helpfulness (orders)/Knowledge of Staff
4. Proximity

The top three can easily trump number four; however, the price of gas is relative to what I'm planning to spend that day.

The combination of having the beers I like with competitive pricing is really important, but I also believe that there is a tremendous amount of value in knowing the people in the store (and what they like) and having them know you (and what you like).

My most frequented stores: Muckey's in Lakeville, Wines & More in Mansfield (both are a little bit of drive away).

The next stores would be: Yankee Spirits in N. Attleboro and (if I want a really long drive) Julio's in Westborough (I maybe get to Julio's once or twice a year).

 

A place called The Beer Store is the best I've got near me in the Philly 'burbs. Love going in there for a pint or a flight then grabbing a few to take home. Selection is solid but not overwhelming, mainly impressed by their range of Belgian sours. The store manager is the only guy I've really talked to but he is very knowledgeable.

 

De Bierkoning.

 

Half Time. Nothing more needs to be said.

 

More or less in order of importance to me:
1. Good selection of locals and imports
2. Reasonable prices
3. Most or all beer kept refrigerated
4. New/special releases listed regularly on website, via email updates, twitter etc.
5. High traffic = high turnover = fresh beer
6. Location location location
7. Knowledgeable, helpful staff (no attitude and no BS please)
8. Good tap list

A number of places within a 15-mile radius of work/home meet most of these criteria, so usually it comes down to whether a given store has what I'm looking for, and how far I have to travel.

 

You are right. It is the best place to buy beer in Greensboro. There is a great selection and they keep the beer cooled and fresh. In fact, I've never been there when they were not restocking the selection.Often, but not always, there is someone on hand who knows the stock and can discuss it intelligently. Even when there isn't a knowledgeable employee available, there is often a customer willing to share information. I'd be happier if they didn't devote so much space to BMC but it is close to UNCG and they have to serve the college crowd as well. I've lived in Greensboro for 22 years and didn't know this place existed until I joined BA. Now I love to go there and also stop at Sticks and Stones for good, local NC beer on tap - decent bar food as well.