Pretty awesome Ken. Do you have to go into the store to come across these? I’ve never seen anything exciting other than with the coupon, got great price on Bollinger Grand Annee 02 ($80 after coupon).
Coupons in the local papers, picked up instore or via email opt in?
The article in the Strib mentioned that Haskell’s will also be building a 20,000 sq. ft. “superstore” in Maple Grove. Will be very interesting to see if that results in downward pressure on the pricing in their existing stores.
It can’t hurt. It’s probably my imagination but their sales in the past year or so seem to have better deals than years past. Maybe they’re already adjusting some? Thier everyday, non sales event, prices could stand to get a lot more competitive.
In this case, someone alerted me to it. I don’t have one anywhere near me, but there is one near my brother’s place in NJ. Based on someone telling me about it, I checked there and found a bunch. Took a case home to check one to make sure they were good, then sent my brother back to clean them out. ![[berserker.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/8600bbd4810d342b8fbd4ffb62b4f0026275fd37.gif "berserker"){kind=small}
Problem with Haskell’s is they never get any new product lines in and seem to get the same crap over and over…oh and they have product that sits and sits and sits and sits and they never give a decent discount to move it. The Minnetonka store is actually pretty good though.
It can’t hurt. It’s probably my imagination but their sales in the past year or so seem to have better deals than years past. Maybe they’re already adjusting some? Thier everyday, non sales event, prices could stand to get a lot more competitive.
Alan Koehler wrote:The article in the Strib mentioned that Haskell’s will also be building a 20,000 sq. ft. “superstore” in Maple Grove. Will be very interesting to see if that results in downward pressure on the pricing in their existing stores.
Craig their pricing has gone up on all wines over $30. They are not that competitive and will take a beating once Total Wine really arrives if they don’t get some better pricing and new ideas. I like Haskell’s a lot and hang out at the Bloomington Store as the employees are enjoyable to talk to and a few know there stuff. They have a no hassle return policy on corked bottles which is nice. I will be at the Total Wine opening day as it is a whole five minutes from my house. Should be interesting once they arrive.
John, I hoping they have some cool stuff from; NR, CDP, BDX , Piedmont, Tuscany, Burgundy and Champagne. If they’re just a nicer version of MGM or Liquor Boy I’ll be bummed. I buy and drink QPRs regularly but I’d like to see a new selection of $30 plus stuff selling for 20% less.
If I remember correctly you live pretty close to the Boca Park store. Their growler fill station has some nice stuff usually that isn’t available in bottles.
John, I hoping they have some cool stuff from; NR, CDP, BDX , Piedmont, Tuscany, Burgundy and Champagne. If they’re just a nicer version of MGM or Liquor Boy I’ll be bummed. I buy and drink QPRs regularly but I’d like to see a new selection of $30 plus stuff selling for 20% less.
That is why I buy from some Private Client offerings from California.
So what I’m hearing is that TW is a good source for beer…my 2c is that TW is a decent place to pick up a half case of wine last minute for a dinner party, etc. They usually keep a large inventory, wide selection and turn it over - so less chance of wines sitting at the wrong temp for 6 months.
It Atlanta there’s a couple of shops that cater to the “berserker” crowd and it ain’t TW. Still, I’d be glad to see one come to town if we didn’t have one in the area.
Agree about the beer but disagree on their wine selection, really impressive in our area, anything from 1st growths, Harlan, se, drc, huge selection in Seattle, guess we are lucky. Prices can be steep on some bdx, but i always walk out with something.
This will be the closet liquor store to my house if you exclude the municipal liquor stores of Edina and Richfield, which I think both deserve excluding.
I’m sorry, Joe. Total Wine really isn’t the worst place to buy booze, but that says a lot about the options in your neighborhood!
Based on this thread, I swung by my local TW.
- Almost no cool Burgundy stuff except a few things at high prices. In fact, not even middle of the road stuff in Burgundy with a couple of exceptions (Jadot, Prieur and Vougeraie if those are your tastes). Got excited when I saw in the locked case a 2009 Roumier Clos de la Bussiere, until I saw it was $299. Cheaper than the lone Rousseau Lavaux St. Jacques ($350 or so).
- Reasonable selection of Tuscan wines.
- To underscore the cluelessness of the help, they were having a Spanish wine tasting. They asked me if I wanted any, and I asked if there were any traditionally made wines there. I might have been talking Mandarin based on the blank stare I got back. I said I don’t like modern wines that are big, high alcohol, with a lot of oak. Then they give me a taste of an oak milk shake wine.
- But I was happy as I picked up a bottle of A’Bundah, my favorite cask strength scotch at a nice price.
Which locations have they announced? Bloomington? The TW stores I have visited in the Phoenix area were unattractice for selection.
John, I saw that (direct from cellar offerings) in a quick review of the TW website. That, if nothing else makes them interesting.
As for Haskell’s - I hope they continue to thrive. Prices can be high, but customer service has always been good in steering me toward relative value. As importantly they and I are linked at the hip as it relates to their Minnetonka basement.
Craig,
When I was in Florida, my cousin took me to TW. I left there with beer.
Gotta love the clear and concise opinion;)
Have spent a good deal of time at the Total Wine in Boca Park (Las Vegas) and it had a decent beer and liquor section. While their wine selection isn’t much to write home about (unless you’re shopping for Petrus/Margaux/Haut Brion) their sauternes section was well above average. Rule of thumb for wine - prices are competitive, selection is boring.
Total is also a decent place to buy empty wood crates. In LV, they were being sold for $5 each throughout 2010, 2011, 2012.