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1 West Dupont Circle Wine And Liquor
Rating Details »
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
Neighborhood: Dupont Circle2012 P Street NW
(between N 20th St & N Hopkins St)
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 293-9463
Ardbeg SuperNova Release!
We are the official store for the Release of the much-anticipated Ardbeg Supernova Scotch. It promises to be the peatiest Scotch ever!
- Nearest Transit:
-
Dupont Circle (Red)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
13 reviews for 1 West Dupont Circle Wine And Liquor
It's not alcoholism if it's epicurean, right?
So, with that... I'm going to say that 1 West is the latest fuel to the fire of my epicureanism, with relation to my desire to improve my home bartending skills.
Although I started off a little rocky with a couple blank stares as I queried, "So... I have a random question..." But things got significantly better as I continued, "But, I'm wondering if y'all might have maraschino liqueur?" The immediate response was "Like Luxardo?" Yes!
I was then swiftly escorted (more like, swept along in the wake of...) over to precisely the location where the Luxardo was. Then, I was interrogated, "Did you need anything else? What are you trying to make?" Once I mentioned that I was working on my Aviation-making skills, I was immediately presented with a bottle of creme de violette.
Stunning. They have creme de violette! The maraschino liqueur was shocking enough. That they -also- carry creme de violette (or that they carry it at all!) was astonishing. -And- I was asked whether or not I needed Aviation gin. (They have Aviation?!) Knowing that I'd just picked up a bottle of Hendrick's a few weeks ago, I passed on that final offer, but did walk out with the remaining (ultra obscure) ingredients to begin fashioning my Aviations.
So, to the guys at 1 West, hats off to you. Thank you for absolutely blowing any and all expectations I had for a liquor store out of the water. Thanks for being helpful, and most of all, thanks for helping my alcoholi-- er... epicureanism flourish and grow.
"I'm so glad you're coming in with me," I told my friend Anna. "You can experience their extra-clingy treatment for yourself!"
Anna's eyes began to widen with incredulousness. "Oh my God...," her voice trailing off like someone who was digging around in their parents' bureau and found Polaroids of their parents that they really wished they didn't.
"Yeah, everybody who works there will ask you at *least* once if they can help you. Sometimes they sneak up on you. They're just trying to be friendly, but it's a little unsettling if you're not expecting it," I said as I held the door open for her.
"Gonna check out the wines. Be right back!" Anna said as she disappeared down the stairs. I promptly headed to one of the coolers to pick up a 750ml of Affligem Tripel.
As I was standing in front of one of the other coolers, trying to decide if I wanted a six-pack of something else, but in reality staring blankly as if waiting on a religious epiphany, I saw Anna approach out of the corner of my eye.
"No thanks, just browsing!" she said as she was clearly trying to out-walk one of the clerks who also came into view.
"Ohhhhhmyyyyygawwwd!" Anna whispered in staccato as her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "You were right! I had to tell one guy that I wasn't going to steal anything!"
"Ha! That's funny. Wait... you actually said that to him?"
"Yeeeeess," she replied in a tone of voice reserved for trying to teach a particularly dimwitted animal not to urinate on the living room carpet. "I seriously told him that!" she continued, her jaw tightening.
"Can I help you find anything?" another clerk implored as he walked up to us.
Anna's eyes began to roll as she started to fight back a laugh. "Uh no," I said. "Just browsin'."
"Okay, just let me know if you need anything."
I paid for my Affligem and Wexford Crème Ale and the two of us promptly proceeded to beat feet in retreat.
"Was I right or was I right?" I said, almost triumphantly.
"You know," I continued, "if we weren't white, middle-class professionals aged 18-50, I could have easily been given the impression that we were being profiled."
"There is no WAY I'm going back there again!" Anna giggled.
The verdict: above-average selection of beer and wines. While you're not going to find that rare or hard-to-get gem, there's enough variety that, whatever you get, you won't feel like you made a trek for nothing.
And the staff is truly trying to be helpful. Really, they are. And they're quite friendly. Unfortunately, it can sometimes come off as disconcerting. As in "I'm trying to drop a deuce in peace so for the love of all that is holy would you PLEASE STOP BANGING ON THE DOOR?!?"
I have to downgrade this place to a 3 (maybe even a 2.5). I was too quick to write a review after my first visit and give it a 5 stars as my vision was clouded with their huge selection and very helpful service.
After popping into this store countless times since then, I have a strong and different opinion of their service. Every time I go in I have at least 2-3 workers watching me while I make my selection. I enjoy good customer service but this is to the point of being really really annoying. Let me take my time and check out all your beers! I want to browse damnit! Instead, I feel rushed to pick something out just for the relief I will have of no longer having an employee breathing down my back until I make my selection. I realize they are trying to be helpful but it's too much!!! Similar to an overbearing mother (and I know first-hand!)!!! I always have second thoughts before going in there - if I know exactly what I want then there's not as much of a problem but if I feel like taking a gander and contemplating on my purchase then I think about going elsewhere......also if I'm already annoyed from red line crowds I will definitely steer clear.....it's a shame too bc they have a great selection!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/3/2009
This is by far the BEST beer/wine store in DC! The beer selection is huge and the entire downstairs… Read more »
I am blown away by so many things at this store. The selection is better than any I've ever seen and the fact that they have many things cold on the spot is a bonus. They also have great tastings on the weekend nights which have helped me to find some new bottles of wine and liquor that I otherwise might not have tried. They even helped my friend carry home a few boxes of wine.
I could not disagree more with the description of their behavior as "clingy". They care about customer satisfaction (which is MUCH more than I can say about many places in this city) and any conversation with an employee will tell you how hard they have worked to open this store. Being white and of a certain age has nothing to do with it; they genuinely want you to have a good experience in their store.
We call it "the magic liquor store" because it seems to glow from the street, luring us in. Everything is pristine. Everything is in stock. The employees are too helpful. Everything you've ever wanted to imbibe - maybe not EVERYthing, but hey, this is Dupont - is available at the magic liquor store. Go there.
I helped my girlfriend move into a new apartment today in the West Dupont area. I've had worse moves, but you know how any moving experience makes you feel (achy, hopeless, rabid, etc), so I wanted to pop in a local establishment and "get her a housewarming gift" aka buy booze. Enter this place. It was a shining beacon of hope amidst the gray skies today. I love Bells beer - the front of the store had at least 6 varieties that I counted before passing out from the joy that was the immense selection of all types booze in their 2-story layout. After I showed interest in picking up a six-pack, one the staff ran to the back and grabbed a cold six of it for me. Are you kidding? Who does that? Amazing.
I was then promptly offered a shot of this new sweet-tea vodka, which I'd heard about 1)from a fellow southerner friend of mine and 2)in my dreams. I was totally overwhelmed by the massive amount of alcohol this place managed to fit in their store. Minor complaint that some things were priced like a dollar too high, but for that location, it's understandable and I commend them for having such a diverse selection. I will spend far too much money in this store-
I would love to give this place 5 stars because the selection is better than anywhere else in the city however they need to lower their prices on beer. $14 for a six pack of Stone Pale Ale?! $14 for pretty much every CA microbrew?! I'm confused as to how imported beers like Czechvar are $5 lower than domestic beers. Either way you can purchase Stone at D'Vines/De Vinos and Whole Foods for $10 a six pack. C'mon guys.
I walked in. A light came down from the heavens and angels started singing as I saw the massive, massive beer selection. The man from the counter announced, "We have most of them chilled as well."
SOLD!
They have a dizzying array of beer, liquor and wine, all in a clean store run by extremely friendly and helpful assistants. Look at all that tequila! Prices are pretty much what you would expect in Dupont, but honestly I will pay them because of the huge convenience factor of their location. And they deliver? So, on the same block I can get pizza and liquor delivered to my apartment? F-ing sweet.
Oh, and all of the white wines are available chilled, in their convenient walk-in cooler. Booya.
Remember how that old crappy Burger King was boarded up for years? It cause this place was duking it out with the control board and trying to get their liquor license. A lot of folks in the neighborhood were really worried this would be another craphole and signal a return to the days in the 80s when crime was a lot more prevalent. Growing up seeing the bums, drunks, and unsavory types I was equally worried and quite skeptical when I heard another liquor store was going in.
But I only normally jump to conclusions and a free booze tasting easily twisted my arm to check the place out. Gosh I'm a lush.
Lets get the bad out of the way. Like most in DC the place is expensive and while I don't worry about the few cent difference on a sixer of beer, on bottles of liquor I definitely notice it. I still do all my shopping for non-emergency liquor in the MD county stores where prices are dirt cheap. Also their wine section's organization makes no sense.
So the good.
-They deliver with no minimum (I don't know the radius cause I'm a block away, I just know I'm in it). Now my mentality is if I can't walk the one block to the liquor store I probably shouldn't drink anymore but quite convenient if I ever decide to throw a big party at my place (which I won't but if I do you're all invited - my address is 1600 Pennsy Ave).
-the store is very clean and has been designed really well and has good use of available space, I never feel like I'm going to knock something over. There are plenty of coolers with cold brews and a big walk-in downstairs with pre-chilled whites and champagnes.
-lots of rare liquors and scotches (Dave's gonna read this and bitch about the prices on the scotch tho).
-huge selection of booze, beer and wine.
-cigars, yum.
-entire downstairs is dedicated to wine.
-no "hurry up, you buy!" attitude, everyone is very friendly, helpful, and a few folks are incredibly knowledgeable.
-frequent liquor and wine tastings. Def love trying new things.
-discounts on cases of wine.
I could go to a couple of other places in Dupont, but its not getting any cheaper and I like the place so why waste time anywhere else.
I was excited to see this place finally open after many months of a sign saying "Coming Soon." It sure was worth the wait. This place is beautiful inside. It's two stories with beer and hard liquor on the top floor and wine on the bottom level (along with a small gourmet cheese area!). They have a HUGE selection of both beer and wine, and kinds that are hard to find around here. One of the employees told me they have the largest selection in DC.
The staff was extremely nice, the place was very clean and they even had a wine tasting when we walked in on a Saturday afternoon. However, possibly the best thing about this place is they deliver!!
Jarrett C pretty much nailed this one. Only a few things to add, probably mostly so I feel like I've added something: Very nice family that owns the place. Incredibly clean. All the bottles are new and look to have been impeccably stored. While it might not be 5 stars in SF, I have to add another star because I haven't found any better wine stores in DC so far and I love, LOVE their willingness to order wines that I want them to carry. Who else does that???
Great service. Great selection. This is hands down the nicest liquor store I have ever been to. Huge selection of hundreds of beers and wines too! You have to go. They also deliver!
Liquor stores always seem to trend toward this weird theme of illegality, dirty floors, and overpriced booze. It's so nice to find a place that EMBRACES its role of selling alcohol without the shame or trashiness of a typical liquor store.
They've got A LOT of good stuff. A LOT of great service. A LOT of clean, brand new parquet floor... I could go on.
Check it out and reward their passion for what they do! I don't want to see this place disappear anytime soon...
