We asked Shannon, Manager of the Town Centre Liquor Store, to share some information about her store, what they offer, and why they chose to become part of Willoughby Town Centre.
Here is what Shannon had to share:
“Willoughby was actually not where we were slated to move originally but when we discovered this hidden gem and the growth that surrounded it, we wanted in right away.
I like this neighbourhood for several reasons. The Town Centre plaza is convenient in terms of having everything at your fingertips. I like the customers, many of them are quite wine savvy and that is fun. This plaza reminds me a little of a European shopping experience rather than the Big Box commercial experience.
Most people, when they come in to our store comment on the eclectic mix of product. We have that different and interesting beverage that they want to try. We get very positive feedback on our pricing and our wine selection. I think there is nothing worse than going into a store to find the “same old same old” and it never rotates or changes. I like change and I like to surprise people with something new. The nice thing about wine shopping at many private stores is that we try it before bringing it in to ensure our customers are getting good quality and value.
We recently brought in a large order from Chile and Argentina, predominantly from Santa Rita Vineyards. These are a one time buy, with a few of them sold out already because they are so good and great prices. These are wines that one would have to go to South America to try otherwise as they are not regular or permanent listings in British Columbia. I will strive to do more of these kinds of programs because I think people like them overall.
My personal favourite in wine is Zinfandel, especially from Lodi, California. I rarely come across one that I don’t like. Zinfandel is a red grape with big fruity flavour but not a heavy wine. I like the Flying Winemaker Zin and Lange Twins is another favourite. A few of my other recent favourites are Kim Crawford Pinot Noir, Maggio Cabernet Sauvignon (very nice, soft tannins) and Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc. I’m a strong believer that wine should be fun, not pretentious. I have always thought it to be the perfect blend between art and science.
Being in the valley, we sell a lot of Budweiser. We have a great craft section though, we sell the bombers, cold from a self serve shelf and some hard to find packs out of our walk in cooler. We try to keep up with requests but there isn’t always space! In wine, our best sellers are Apothic Red, Bodacious Red and in whites, Hardy’s Reisling Gewurztraminer. We are lucky enough to be a retailer of many Boutique BC wineries/VQA brands that are difficult to source, Burrowing Owl for example. We are proud to support the small wineries and breweries in our province.”
