485124 Thu Jan 31 15:15:36 -0800 2008 15 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 3353457 I'm looking for a place in Oakland or Berkeley that has a really good, thoughtful, informed selection of spirits. I'd rather not patronize Bev Mo if there's a locally owned option. I'm hoping there's a place on this side of the bridge like Blackwell's on Geary... Thu Jan 31 15:15:36 -0800 2008 13093 Maya 1 3353514 When I lived in Oakland I had a good experience at a wine/spirits shop in Montclair Village on the main street, on a corner shop sorry I don't remember the name. They carried a hard to find armagnac. Thu Jan 31 15:36:09 -0800 2008 3353457 52212 Lori SF 2 3354422 According to the sign in the window, it's recently changed hands. Not sure if that will change things or not. Thu Jan 31 21:17:10 -0800 2008 3353514 17737 Hunicsz 1 3353611 What's wrong with BevMo? It's based in Concord (East Bay), and privately owned. It's a chain for sure, but it's successful for a reason, namely lots of good products at a reasonable price. I'm not a huge fan of their wine selection, but they do a good job with spirits so long as you aren't looking for armagnac or cognac, where I think they fall down. Thu Jan 31 16:09:19 -0800 2008 3353457 17221 SteveG 2 3353718 I tend to agree. I'd say I buy 90%+ of wine not at BevMo, and most of my spirits (which are few and far between) either there or at TJs. Thu Jan 31 16:48:00 -0800 2008 3353611 13471 lmnopm 3 3355876 The Montclair one isn't that comprehensive, unfortunately. Any other ideas? As for why not Bevmo, the answer is because I prefer to patronize one-location stores rather than chains, because I like having small proprietor-run shops in my neighborhood over huge strip mall stores, regardless of where they are based. To each his own. Fri Feb 01 10:14:23 -0800 2008 3353718 13093 Maya 4 3356159 I've never found a shop in the East Bay with a spirits selection comparable to D&M, John Walker, Castro Village, or Coit Liquors (which has gone downhill a bit due to loss of shelf space to the new wine bar) in the city. Fri Feb 01 11:16:31 -0800 2008 3355876 11369 Robert Lauriston 5 3356413 When I first moved to the Bay Area I lived in Oakland and could not believe the lack of good spirit shops as the Maya is requesting. I settled for the one in Monclair because that was about it 10 years ago and had to really lower my expectations. Fri Feb 01 12:24:24 -0800 2008 3356159 52212 Lori SF 6 3358638 I just shop for booze in SF. It's not the kind of place Maya's looking for, but K&L's selection is incredible: 175 whiskeys, 80 tequilas, 25 Armagnacs, etc. http://www.klwines.com/content.asp?N=58&Ne=4&Nr=OR%28OutofStock%3AN%2CInventory+Location%3ASpecial+Order%29&Ns=QtySoldLast30%7C1 Sat Feb 02 10:48:15 -0800 2008 3356413 11369 Robert Lauriston 7 3358800 I agree with K&L as there are a couple of others in SF. Maya is looking for something in Oakland or Berkeley. Sat Feb 02 11:50:22 -0800 2008 3358638 52212 Lori SF 4 3356178 The Cellar in El Sobrante on San Pablo Dam Rd. Link to webite in this Place record http://www.chow.com/places/18244 It looks like a nothing chain from the outside, but it is the only store. Nice liquor selection and a helpful staff. Arlington Wine and Spirits in Berkeley/Kensington http://www.chow.com/places/3861 This is closer the Blackwells. I've only bought wine there, but the spirirt collection caught my eye. Fri Feb 01 11:23:02 -0800 2008 3355876 10264 rworange 2 3360047 BTW BevMo was recently taken over by a private equity firm which is now running it. Sat Feb 02 20:02:54 -0800 2008 3353611 13093 Maya 1 3356297 Ledger's Liquor in Berkeley (On University) has a well-edited and reasonably-priced selection. Fri Feb 01 11:54:35 -0800 2008 3353457 91077 vnchile 2 3356372 They also carry or did a good selection of bitters. Fri Feb 01 12:16:09 -0800 2008 3356297 10133 wally 1 3358879 I'm always surprised that Ledger's Liquors (University Avenue in Berkeley, near Sacramento cross street) doesn't get more respect on this board. Granted, it's a really weird building, but it has a selection of liquor that is is both vast and thoughtful. When there's something hard to find, it alway check there. I've recently found Indonesian "Batavia-Arrack", Basque Patxaran (sp?), and the grapefruit Fee Brothers' bitters there, to name just a few. It gets additional points in my book for being both family run (you'll often find Ed Ledger behind the counter) and historical (it's in the top 10 oldest California liquor stores post-Prohibition, or something like that). Sat Feb 02 12:15:18 -0800 2008 3353457 116616 Gremolata 2 3360231 Wow--grapefruit Fee's? I never knew it existed. I'm definitely going to check that place out. Not in the East Bay either, but Weimax in Burlingame has a stellar selection of hard-to-find liquors and incredible wine selection (lots of lesser known things, from my understanding). I love Blackwell's, but since running into Weimax recently, it's become my favorite place by far for its curmudgeonly and extremely detailed and informative website and for the guy who runs the place. He puts his heart and soul into that place and it shows. Sat Feb 02 21:38:11 -0800 2008 3358879 10658 Atomica