Liquor Store Guide

Liquor stores are a dime a dozen right?  No way.  Everyone is different and unique in their own ways.  With that being said, most liquor stores can fit into one of these 6 categories.

1. The Chain - Buy Rite, Wine Country and Bottle King are some examples of the chain.  I love Mom & Pop liquor stores and generally hate chain stores in general, but sometimes the prices of these places make them hard to resist.  Also most have parking lots, fantastic selections and take credit cards for the cash strapped.  Lack of atmosphere and the one on one relationship you build up with the corner store guy hurts these places in my mind though.

2. Combo Liquor Stores - My favorite is the liquor/pharmacy combo store.  Two prescriptions, one stop.  Need that Valtrex script and a sixer, they got you covered.  Also available in the liquor/deli, liquor/pizza and liquor/fried chicken variety.  These places are all over Jersey City and some, like Manhattan Liquors, would stand alone as a very good liquor stores even without the combo.

3. Emergency Store - This is the place that somehow doesn't follow the law.  It's the store that's open at 10am on a Sunday or still selling booze at 2am.  Sometimes it's a combo store (like above) or sometimes it's one of those weird liquor stores with 4 stools and no taps that actually count as bars - but you would never drink there because all the lights are on and there's no TV (Hub City Liquors).  Other times it's a house illegally selling booze out of the back door (like in Plainfield a while back) or a bar with package goods (Somerset Hotel has a better selection then some stores I've been in).  Anyway you slice it, these places are usually way over priced and are used only in an emergency.

4. The IT Store - Whether this place is your Boone's Farm spot, your 1/2 pint spot or it's the only place that carries that fancy imported beer you like -It's the place that has IT, has the best selection of IT or has IT for the best price.  Couldn't even really tell ya how the rest of the store is because you usually only buy one thing there.  IT.

5. The Convenience Store - This place usually sucks but it's very "convenient".  It's the place you pass leaving work, or the place that has a parking lot(parking is tough in Jersey City and I think I know most of the liquor stores with parking lots and would then deem most of them "convenient"), or it's the place you can see from your front door.  Chances are this place is overpriced or only carries 4 kinds of beer but you're there a lot because it's "convenient".

6. The Old Faithful - Ahh, the cashier knows your name and is reaching for a 1/2 pint of Beam when you’re reaching the register.  You’re greeted with a friendly smile and hello that's genuine because you're in there so goddamn much.  You know the selection back and front and know exactly where everything is.  You actually notice new products or price increases.  If the cashier held on to all your receipts for a month it would blow your mind of much money you've spent there.  But you love the Ol' girl and wouldn't trade her for the world.

Now sometimes you get lucky.  My 40oz and 1/2 pint spot are the same.  It's also my "Convenience" store because I can walk there and so it's become "The Ol' Faithful".  Lee's Liquors in Jersey City is the lucky recipient of about 25-35 percent of my monthly pay.