Micheal Smith's passion is good wine, craft beer, and above-and-beyond customer service. Micheal, General Manager of West Coast Liquor Company, manages the Fraser Street outlet and works with local wineries to host a wide range of products not usually sold in the government liquor stores.
"Some of the bottles we sell are cheaper than if you bought them from the winery," Micheal says. "And our well-trained staff can help a customer choose just the right bottle for a meal, gift, or a special occasion."
West Coast's Fraser Street store has been serving the local wine and beer-loving community for eight years, while just across town, the Kerrisdale location has been open for six years.
"Wine is the fastest growing segment in the Fraser Street store," Micheal says, "In the past, many of our customers were looking for good quality budget beers, but with the influx of more millennials into the area, we're noticing customers are becoming more adventurous in their tastes."
Both the Fraser Street and Kerrisdale stores try to support smaller wineries and craft breweries by offering their products at a smaller profit margin.
"We like to support smaller businesses offering VQA (Vintner Quality Assurance) wines. It gives us a chance to highlight good quality local wines at a reasonable price."
The Kerrisdale location promotes items that generally cannot be found in a B.C. Liquor Store.
"Kerrisdale caters to people looking for that special bottle," Micheal explains. "If you're looking for a hard to find wine, for example, or an expensive wine for a special occasion, you will likely find it in our Kerrisdale location. They offer wines in the $4,000 range in addition to lower-priced B.C. wine."
Beer, cider, and wine tastings are available at both locations, as are in-store specials.
"We always feature products at special prices, or wines that are unique to each store," Micheal says. "There are beer and wine special pricing events for long weekends, but generally, you can always find a quality product at a great price in any of our stores."
To check out the diverse selection of wines, beers, and coolers available at West Coast Liquor Company, call 604.327.1113 (Fraser Street) or 604.669.1121 (Kerrisdale); visit the website; or stop by the Vancouver outlets at 6295 Fraser Street and 5503 West Boulevard (Kerrisdale). West Coast Liquor stores can also be found on Facebook and Instagram.
