You must have heard that some people have a “liquor store radar”. They walk into a liquor store and know exactly where to find what they’re looking for. They can navigate past every aisle of booze without missing a beat, coming out with the perfect bottle of wine or spirits. If you’ve spent years hunting down obscure bottles (and often paying high prices), here are some secrets to finding a quality liquor store radar.
The staff
The quality of the staff is an essential factor. They should be knowledgeable about the products they’re selling, willing to give you recommendations based on what you’ve told them, and friendly enough that you feel comfortable asking them questions or asking for help finding something in particular. It can also be helpful if they can price match
other stores’ prices (or even lower), especially if they offer a loyalty program where you get discounts based on how much money you spend there over a certain period.
Finding a quality liquor store
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Do they have an online presence?
If not, this may mean they don’t have enough business to warrant the cost of having one or don’t want their competitors to know what kind of deals they offer (or both). If this is the case, you might want to consider going elsewhere because it could mean their prices will be higher than those from other places without as many customers.
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Are there reviews available?
Check Yelp and Google+ for reviews from people who have visited before. Before looking at individual sites, these can tell you about each store’s service and whether others have had similar experiences with any specific location within that chain.
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Ask for recommendations
When seeking recommendations from a store, it’s important to ask for what you want. If your goal is to find an affordable whiskey, ask the staff how it compares to others on their shelves. If you’re looking for something a little more personalised and specific, like a bottle of Scotch for your dad’s birthday or two bottles of tequila for some friends’ wedding anniversary, that’s what you should tell them.
- Don’t hesitate to ask how different types of liquor pair with certain foods or occasions (a celebration or an intimate dinner party). Knowing where someone’s preferences lie can help guide their selection process.
Be specific about what you’re looking for
Some stores have in-store tastings that allow customers to sample unique offerings before buying, or they may offer samples of other wines or spirits if you ask them politely.
Talk about the types of liquor you like and want to make. A good store can recommend specific brands and flavours based on your preferences.
For example, if you like sweet drinks that use fruit as an ingredient (like margaritas), they’ll recommend tequila instead of whiskey because tequila has a more pronounced taste than whiskey. They can also advise on whether certain flavourings would complement each other well when mixed, such as rum with pineapple juice in a piña colada cocktail versus vodka with cranberry juice in a Cosmopolitan cocktail, so either one alone would taste by itself.
Know your budget
This is the first step to finding a liquor store for your needs. You can compare prices online, but ultimately you will want to visit the stores in person to ensure it’s worth it. If two stores are within walking distance of each other and one is significantly cheaper, then obviously go with that option. But don’t forget about other factors like location and availability of products since these will play a significant role in how convenient it is for you and whether they have what you’re looking for or not.