Liq-O-Rama

On my birthday (Halloween) I went in to buy a bottle of Malibu Black for my yearly birthday treat, with a friends debit card. Be in mind this is what she’s gotten me every birthday since I was 18. She had just moved to a new area that I’ve never been, so this liquor store is new to me. Every year at every liquor store since my 21^st birthday, I have used this specific friends debit card with no issues. Because it’s a debit card, with a pin, I should have no issues. It is not a credit card where looking at ID is more common place. 5 minutes till closing the cashier refused to sell to me with her card because it would make him liable of buying alcohol for a minor.(?) I did not have enough cash to pay without the card, and didn’t have my card so I ran next door to the hotel to get cash, because the ATM in the store itself was not working. It was a 5 $ fee just to pull out the cash! I returned to the store at 9:01, and he would not let me in the door. The prices are higher here then specs in Roanoke, a place I really enjoy. Not to mention, the cashier ruined my 27^th birthday. Yes I repeat 27TH, and he nearly accused me of buying alcohol for the 14 year olds loitering out front. This is the only day of the year I get all my friends together, so yeah having to choke down Corona all night trashed my fun. Will never return to this establishment, selection is mediocre and location is painful to get to. Never again!

Wow, simply wow…
I’ve never been more disappointed on my archaeological liquor store hunt to find the rare or lost goods among the shelves or cases of long forgotten spirits. This store was intriguing to me in my search since it is a bit off the beaten path, small, and, well… older. You never know what hidden treasures at cut rate prices you can find in these stores.
What did I find you may ask? Disappointment. I found lots of disappointment. Being in the industry and searching stores for deals and the obscure, you get in tune with the pricing structures and what to expect. Not here though– this store left me simply perplexed. How was there a store in business for such a period of time; a store with many guests in and out quickly because they had been coming for years and knew exactly what they wanted? I seriously looked around trying to find something, anything, that would explain it to me. I failed, my friends. I failed miserably.
Product after product was $ 3 and $ 4 higher. Bottles for $ 29.98 that I know every other store in town has for $ 19.99 at worst. $ 10 more for a marginal spirit? The more quality spirits were $ 12 and $ 15 dollars more– on every single offering! I simply don’t know what to say of it. How are people this blind to what they are buying if they buy it regularly? Truly I hope that if you are reading this, that it helps open at least one pair of eyes, because, well darn it… this is America. We shouldn’t get gouged when we choose to indulge in our libations. Heck, that’s usually why we drink to begin with!

So if I’m on the 35W corridor (which I avoid these days due to all the construction) this is the package store of choice. It’s of average size, and pretty easy to get to. I used to hit it in conjunction with a trip to the post office, but now it’s not as convenient as it used to be. If you are on 35W though, it’s still a good option and the staff is pretty friendly.

Pretty good place to go for liquor (one of the few in the area). Staff is usually really friendly, though one time they thought I was an undercover cop or somethin’.
But yeah, prices are slightly better than average and every now and then they have a really good deal on something, so I’d recommend them.