Liquor Depot

A couple of years ago, while visiting family in Alberta, I stopped into a Liquor Depot in Edmonton to buy some wine. At the checkout, the POS terminal crashed mid-​transaction. The clerk apologized and re-​entered the transaction. It went through the second time. But I kept both receipts, just in case. Sure enough, when I got my MasterCard statement a few weeks later, I was billed for both transactions.
Now back at home in Coquitlam, I sent an email to the manager at the Liquor Depot in Edmonton where I had shopped a few weeks earlier. I scanned and sent a copy of both receipts and my MasterCard statement.
He replied within hours, apologizing again, and advising me that if I went to the nearby Coquitlam Liquor Depot location on Barnet Highway, I could get the refund processed on my MasterCard.
So I went down there the next day. It was the first time I had ever walked into the place. As was I explaining the situation, the clerk politely interrupted me and said they were already expecting me. She again apologized for the bother, and processed the refund at once.
What had just happened? Frankly, this level of customer service completely floored me!
That was my «introduction» to the Liquor Depot on Barnet. I’ve since become a regular. The customer service has consistently been friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful without being pushy.
Just one example: this past summer, we bought several bottles of an inexpensive table wine from the Okanagan. Two weeks ago, I had the idea to buy some more, but couldn’t remember the name of the wine. Well, all I had to do was give the clerk a rough approximation of what I thought I remembered the name of the vineyard was, and she said, «Oh, yes, you mean this one right here…»
Excellent service, but also very good prices, comparable to BC Liquor Store prices, and sometimes even lower when they have a promotion. Definitely better prices overall than other private liquor stores I’ve shopped. The general selection of wines is good, though not great (I focus on wines only because we don’t drink a lot of beer or spirits). A lot of the same labels you see at BC Liquor Stores, but several others you don’t, including one of our very favourite Oliver vineyards, Silver Sage (although, regrettably, a very limited selection from this wonderful winery).
Parking isn’t the greatest at this location, but I don’t mind. We shop here regularly – definitely our favourite private liquor store!