I've noticed that not a lot of other beer bloggers write about the beer shopping experience. For me it is one of the best aspects but that's because I'm a hoarder and collector. I like hunting out a rare bottle in a favorite shop and I also like finding a great six pack in a gas station. I like beer shopping as much as going to a pub and enjoy gabbing with the people who run the places. I thought I had had good experiences of getting verklempt at the sight of 20,000 quarts of 1,157 types of beer... then I read this news today. Oh. Boy.:
Beers of the World, which has two other locations in the region, plans to open a store at the site, 2599 East Henrietta Road in Henrietta, by June... "There's going to be some renovation done inside, a new façade in the front," Angotti said, "and as soon as all that work is done, we'll be opening." Angotti, of Henrietta, added that the new store will feature a variety of beers from countries all over the globe. The new store will occupy about 32,000 square feet of the building.
I like Beers of the World but have only been there once as it isn't near my natural NY states travel routes. Yet the news got me thinking. Sure Garrett Oliver can say that brewing the hoppiest beer is like cooking the saltiest food... but biggest beer store? That's where quantity and quality merge, right?
As Troy once said of the current site "[t]o me it was heaven." But what is heaven like when it comes in a larger new and improved 32,000 square foot retail space? That is just under three-quarters of an acre! Is that the biggest shop out there or are there any larger ones you know of?
Update: Inspired by Steve from the comments, here is the comparison according to Google Maps. Rochester is on the left, DaveCo of Denver on the right:
Comments
bierfesten - March 31, 2010 9:40 PM
when i lived in Toronto we'd have beer nights in Henrietta whereby we'd drink craft beer all night with a bill of like $28.. now the worlds largest beer store.. definitely turning into a Beer destination at the top of NY state.. Blue Tusk bar in Syracuse was another favorite
Moses - March 31, 2010 10:27 PM
Downside is, they're moving it a bit further from my home. :(
I live about a mile from the current location. And Henrietta is hell to drive through.
Libarbarian - March 31, 2010 10:35 PM
Sherbrooke Liquor Store here in Edmonton stocks 680 beers at present. They carry every beer the Alberta govt liquor overlords list. It is the best in Alberta but perhaps Canada? Is there something in Montreal perhaps that is larger?
Steve - April 1, 2010 4:48 PM
DaveCo Liquors in Colorado actually coins itself as "The World's Largest Liqour Store". They've got a pretty good selection.
http://www.davecoliquors.com/index.asp
I think they had Guinness Book of World Records come out and verify it.
Alan - April 1, 2010 6:03 PM
I added the satellite view, Steve.
Herb - April 18, 2010 2:01 AM
According to the article, they are not moving, they are opening a new store. Since it's in an old Wegmans, I would guess it's going to be much bigger than the old one. However, according to my Google Mapping, it's going to be a 7 minute drive from the old one. My only fear is that it's going to cannibalize itself. I'm not sure why they didn't put one in another part of town (such as 30 seconds from where my parents live for when I go to visit them there).