Libations Wine and Beer

Could not have had a more opposite experience than the last review. We arrived today to the smell and sound of fresh slider burgers grilling on an outside BBQ. Upon entering we were offered fresh oysters to enjoy while we sampled a variety of Oyster Bay wines. There was samples throughout the store with beer, wine, and some JD samples to enjoy with the sliders, cheese, sweet treats and of course the oysters. We wandered throughout the store and we were offered assistance a number of times from a number of staff who were all intent in ensuring we had a positive experience. Yes the prices are higher than we are used to in Alberta but the service and selection were outstanding. The manager even came out as we left to offer us a surprise gift for visiting today. Perhaps I am in the demographic that they cater to unlike the previous reviewer but I saw everyone from 20 something men to elderly couples all being treated with the same level of care and concern. I asked if they have this much fun every Saturday and they said that his was their annual BBQ day but yes they do have fun on their Saturdays. If I lived here I would be dropping by to see what is up on the next weekend tasting afternoon.

So normally a place like this would be right up my alley… a tiny little liquor, beer and wine store with neat local beer options, vino and the hard bar staples. On top of this Libations is open a good 2 – 5 hours (depending on the night) longer than the other BC liquor stores in West Vancouver. On top of THAT, Libations also offers wine tastings between 3−7pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
When I popped in to this spot on Saturday I was delighted to see the (limited) availability of: Howe Sound Brewing Co’s Pumpkineater (Ale brewed with pumpkin (shock), spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and star anise! Yummy! It’s like pumpkin pie and beer have merged gloriously into one!
So, why just three stars then, Court? Well, i’ll tell you my fellow Unilocalers. The service at this place was atrocious. I have worked numerous customer service jobs and I usually have a soft spot for most angst ridden folk who have to deal with the public, because I know how awful the public can be! The young girl serving me seemed to have grasped the importance of pandering to the middle aged population in the shop, but when it came to serving me (nearly 26) she was outright rude, snatching my credit card from me and saying: I’ll just do it. when the scanner refused to read properly and generally acting like a little B. throughout the entire transaction.
Overall, Libations, you’d do well to close up on a rainy day and offer an ‘essential customer service’ class for your staff. Going to the trouble of having great product, good hours and a nifty locale is lost when you do not have staff who understand the importance of courteous service. Cheers!