I will readily admit that I have spent most of my college student budget at the liquor stores. It’s not that I’m a party animal, constantly stocking up on vodka and 30-racks of PBR. I just enjoy a beer at dinner or a glass of red wine before bed. I also find shopping for alcohol exciting in the same way that picking out a new pair of shoes can be: what will my new drink of choice say about me? Fortunately, there is a variety of liquor stores for me to choose from. In fact, there are three within five minutes of Wesleyan: Metro Spirits, Forest City Wine & Spirits, and Connecticut Beverage Mart.
Metro is the classic. It is conveniently located on Main Street right near Mondo and the movie theater, so when you’re going on an alcohol errand, you have a good excuse to grab yourself a slice of pizza and maybe even pop into the theater to see “Gone Girl.” This liquor store is hidden behind a restaurant and down a whole flight of stairs, so on your first few trips there you will feel especially undercover. The store is well organized and usually feels pretty clean, almost clinical. It is stocked with all the standard alcohol, and it also stays up-to-date on the latest drinking trends. With everything from Mason jars of blueberry-flavored moonshine to mini bottles of Kinky Liqueur flavored vodka, Metro will leave you with bags full of drinks you’ve never tried and your wallet emptier than you expected.
If the fluorescent lighting of Metro gets you down, Forest City is the next-most convenient liquor store. Trips to Forest City, also located on Main Street, have been rumored to make for some funny stories. A loyal Metro shopper, I have only gone to Forest City a few times. I’ve always hoped for a funny interaction with someone behind the register, but I’ve been repeatedly disappointed. Maybe my expectations were too high the first time I went to Forest City, but I felt it was like a more poorly organized version of Metro. The lighting is a little cozier and the employees are slightly friendlier, but it doesn’t have anything too exciting to offer. I had completely given up on Forest City, but then someone told me that they give you free gifts if you go in on your 21st birthday, so I ventured there to celebrate my own. It turns out they just give you all the crap they can’t sell, like old mugs (why would you think to sell these at a liquor store?). My renewed faith in this liquor store option was quickly undercut.
Instead of going to Forest City on your 21st birthday, go to Connecticut Beverage Mart on Washington Street. Its incredible vastness is reason enough to go. On top of that, driving the five minutes to the Bev Mart, much like going to Home Depot or Price Chopper, makes you feel like more of an adult, and like you might really be breaking free from the Wesleyan bubble. Bev Mart is not only very well stocked but also very good for buying in bulk. The amount of alcohol surrounding you may overwhelm you, but the especially friendly and helpful employees will quickly guide you. As you wander through the aisles, carefully picking out a six-pack of Vermont beer and checking out the craft hard cider options, you’ll reflect on your burgeoning sophistication. You might even feel that you can be a snob about your alcohol selection. You’ll ask the man stocking the shelves about where the organic beers are and end up conversing about all the latest craft brewing trends. A trip to Connecticut Beverage Mart gives you a kind of satisfaction that can never be achieved at Metro or Forest City.
On my first trip there, I felt like I was finally the grown-up I came to college to become. When I finished selecting my overpriced beer, I waltzed up to the register and started chatting with the lady behind the counter. She asked me for my ID and just had to throw in this line: “Sorry to card you, but you look like you’re just out of diapers!” I’ve gotten “still in high school” and I’ve even been mistaken for preteen, but diapers seemed like a stretch. However, even this rude comment couldn’t break my spirit at Connecticut Beverage Mart. I handed her my ID, and, like a true adult, laughed it off.