Thomas Liquors & Fine Wines

Thomas Liquors & Fine WinesThomas Liquors & Fine Wines
Thomas Liquors & Fine WinesThomas Liquors & Fine Wines
Store

1941 Grand Ave
Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55105-1433
United States

(651) 699-1860 | map
thomasliquor.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.19
Reviews:
21
Ratings:
29
pDev:
9.79%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4.5 by DaftPatrick from Minnesota

Sep 28, 2015
 
Rated: 4.1 by XmnwildX12 from Minnesota

Feb 24, 2015
 
Rated: 4.69 by capturejack from Minnesota

Feb 20, 2015
 
Rated: 4.58 by will1256 from Minnesota

Feb 03, 2015
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Reviewed by CCutch from Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
Small shop with great rotating selection. Frequent for the excellent customer service. Fitty is a wonderful guy and loves to talk and connect customers with great beer.
Nov 12, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by KAF from Iowa

Nov 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Wrigh240

Jul 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by hardy008 from Minnesota

Jul 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by mothman from Minnesota

Jun 28, 2014
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Reviewed by GeezLynn from Colorado

4.47/5  rDev +6.7%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4
Have been meaning to review Thomas for awhile as it is one of the best options in this part of St. Paul. The store is on the smallish side, but they somehow manage to fit a great variety in nicely. They're still one of the few places in StP where you can find Steel Toe bottles.

Though it's a pretty good store across the board, service is really where they stand out. As mentioned in previous reviews, the manager is a great guy to talk beer with. It's obvious he appreciates helping people find what they're looking for and seems to remember repeat customers. Great place to have on your list of regular stops.
Jan 08, 2014
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Reviewed by Outlandishbrew from California

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
I was in Minny for a 3 hour layover, went on BA to find a nearby beer store, found Thomas' for some good local craft beer and boy am I glad I did! first of all, I showed up right as the shipment of Bourbon County Stout showed up. After talking to Fitty about being an out-of-town beer geek looking for some local goodies to take back to Cali with me, He went to the back and came out with 2 Bourbon County's and 1 bottle of Darkness. I almost scorched my shorts! Thomas' is a super cool place with a great selection and Fitty is the perfect kinda person I like to BS with when I go to a beer store looking for good, local craft beer. check it out!
Dec 06, 2013
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Reviewed by accordselux from Minnesota

4.14/5  rDev -1.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5
A great little store. Fitty knows his beer, and the store reflects it. Selection is small, but high quality. Beer can hang around here a few days after nearby stores sell out. I also want to chime in on the available cellar beers- a great idea and worth checking out.

I referred some visiting BA's to Thomas, and they were carrying beer out by the armload.

A good place to stop and check out- even if you're going to the Ale Jail! The staff has always been friendly- the owner doesn't seem to be very involved with the beer, but Fitty and others are friendly and helpful.

Don't be afraid that it is situated between two colleges- I've never had any issues going in on a Friday or Saturday night and being run over in a rush for PBR.
Dec 15, 2011
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Reviewed by Mid from California

5/5  rDev +19.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
Wow a C+, crazy bad and then to plug a neighboring store and from a beer savant...! Known more for it's great wine selection, I feel Thomas has more than stepped up to the plate for the craft beers distributed to MN. Heck, Fitty was mention in one of latest articles/interviews that Omar from Surly did on how much product this store has moved since their inception. Most Fridays, even better the first Friday of every month, you'll find yourself at their bar tasting not only stuff for sale from a particular brewery, but a home brew that knocks your socks of or something from the cellar! Cellar, oh ya there's a cellar and if you say the magic word a door opens up to beers that are from a few years ago. I could go on and on, but will keep this short and sweet. This place has been around a long time and no it's not the biggest craft store in the cities, but I feel it's definitely one of the best.

Cheers
Dec 09, 2011
Photo of KarlHungus
Reviewed by KarlHungus from Minnesota

3.03/5  rDev -27.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 2 | selection: 3.5
Having visited Thomas Liquors I am very surprised at how highly rated they are here on BA. The size of their selection is about average for what I've seen in most Twin Cities retail stores. Other than Summit, Surly, and Schell's they don't carry any breweries full line up (and they only have one of Schell's beers available in twelve pack). The only thing saving them from mediocrity is the fact that they do carry some rarer, more unique beers in their singles selection. The service on my visit was nonexistent. There were three employees at the register talking when I entered. Non of them acknowledged me the entire time I was in the store. When I went to checkout the girl who rang me up did so without saying a thing to me. Pricing isn't outrageous, but it is a bit higher than most places in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Overall, I can't see myself shopping here again. If I find myself in the area in need of beer I'll choose to spend my money at the Ale Jail just a few blocks away.
Jul 29, 2011
Photo of gatornation
Reviewed by gatornation from Arizona

3.8/5  rDev -9.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
thomas liquors sits on the 19th block of grand ave..parking is in the rear as is the entrance..when you walk in you see wine and liquor first..all the beer is on the back wall in the cooler and on the last row on right...this store is deceptive on first look..but the more you look the more gems you find..they have most of the craft available in MN..plus lots of bombers of unique belgians and domestic bombers ..this place is worth a stop when in the st. paul area..take your time and look around you will find a good brew
Jun 15, 2011
Photo of jera1350
Reviewed by jera1350 from Minnesota

4/5  rDev -4.5%
Was in the area today and decided to stop in and check it out. First of all the place is pretty small, but it is packed to the gills with wine, beer and spirits. The beer is along the back wall in coolers and a portion of another aisle. The selection is pretty nice with a good variety of craft beers and some good specialty beers as well. They had their own labeled six packs that had their own mixed sixers made up. One was called Michigan hops and featured IPA's from MI. Bell's, Dark Horse, etc. Prices seemed very reasonable. They had Avery Dugana for $5.99 which is about $1.50 lower than I've seen in any other store. No one asked me if I needed help, but I'm usually okay with that. If I need help, I'll ask. Overall, a really nice store that's worth checking out if you're in the area.
Jul 24, 2010
Photo of jjanega08
Reviewed by jjanega08 from Minnesota

4.7/5  rDev +12.2%
I'm doing a rereview of this place after more visits I'm learning to love this place more and more. The beer is rotated much better than I firtst anticipted. The Selection is much larger than previously noticed...The back wall is a cooler full of beer with some unique mix packs from different regions. Real unique and different. They have a list of beers from their cellar which most places don't have. There is a shelving area with new arrivals that is awesome. They have a wall of bombers as well as a previously unknown by me Belgian sort of section with lights turned off to keep skunking to a minimum. The service is what has really blown me away recently. The people there are super friendly. They may not be all beer people but even if they don't know much they are super nice about it. I went to a wine focused place the other day and when I asked about a beer they were very rude to me. The people here are awesome. Fitty does a great job os keeping the customers informed and bringing in all of the new exciting beers. Can't say enough about how great this place has been to me.
Mar 23, 2010
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Reviewed by bsp77 from Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev -1%
While the store interior is not very exciting this is a nice place. It does not look like there is much beer selection at first, but it is very deceptive. They carry most of what I am looking for and have a nice selection of singles. I have also had them break a six pack a couple times to get a single. The biggest problem is that other than one guy, most know very little about beer. I hope he never leaves, as he is probably the only one keeping the place in top shape for beer lovers. He also goes way out of his way to help me.
Jul 26, 2009
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Reviewed by GilGarp from Colorado

3.7/5  rDev -11.7%
I was visiting St. Paul and wanted to pick up some unusual beers that we can't get in Colorado. This place was recommended and it was on the way to our destination so we stopped in.

Not a huge place by any means and at first it appears to be more focused on wine but we found some gems towards the back of the store.

I was most excited to see Bell's (haven't seen them at all since leaving Ohio) but we were limited on space so I just picked from their singles shelf.

I got an expedition stout and third coast old ale from Bell's, Tyranena The Devil Made Me Do It, Goose Island Bourbon Co. Stout, Southern Tier Unearthly, and a four-pack of Furious.

Service was average in that no one attempted to help but they were friendly when checking out.

Selection was good but nothing exceptional.

The prices seemed a bit high. The surley furious was a buck more than a saw it for at another store. The singles were all about $3 each.
Dec 30, 2008
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Reviewed by CHSLBrew from Minnesota

4/5  rDev -4.5%
Visited this place on a whim recently, after seeing it rated here on BA.

I walked in and immediately walked to the back, having read that's where the beer can be found. Having found a couple coolers, I was pleased to see a wide variety of 6-packs of Bell's beers, varous MN and regional brews, and a bunch of everything else. In addition, a couple of random shelves carries various bigger, more expenseive beers in bombers and 750s. Pleased as I was, I kept perusing the coolers to find a large shelving area holding many more varieties of American micros and various imports. Woo hoo!

After having visited a couple times, I then found yet another beer area, a cooler near the front of the store carrying more bombers, 750s, and 12oz singles of various beers, from Belgians to Bell's. And mind you, this isn't a huge store, but they've got beer tucked away anywhere they could fit it :D

Although I wasn't asked to be helped any of the times I've been here, I have briefly conversed with a cashier or two, and they seemed to be quite in-the-know as far as beer goes. I've no doubt that if I need it in the future, competent help will be available.
Nov 20, 2008
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Reviewed by garymuchow from Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev -1%
Solid neighborhood store. Boy, they pack a lot into a small space, but more than the numbers it's the quality of the options. Good selection of locals, regional beers and imports. Not unbelievable extensive, but a small and wise selection of high quality beers.
I appreciated the service given as I contacted BA member Zealot ahead of time and they held a product until I could arrive and pick it up (and Zealot wasn't working that shift). I would recommend this store anytime. Great neighborhood feel.
Oct 22, 2008
Photo of Beerking721
Reviewed by Beerking721 from Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -16.5%
Located in a small square shaped building with a vineyard inspired mural on the outside. A small parking area provides access on the north side of the building. Upon entering, spirits selections were placed on off-white shelving on the walls and numerous aisles of wine with a substantial number of case stacks present.

Beer selection was somewhat pleasing but I had envisioned more emphasis here since these guys have recieved numerous accolades in the past from Citi Pages. A decent number of bombers, 6-packs ect. measuring a variety of imports, domestics, and macros. Mostly what one would expect to see - not any surprises or "wow" factor.

Really wasn't offered any service other than a greeting and check out but they thanked me for my purchase (Lion Stout) and invited me to return.

The decor of this place is straight out of the 1970's. Many of the neon signs would now be collectables. The stand alone coolers have had a high degree of use and the handles on the large beer cooler are worn so badly that you can see a concave appearance where the wood is stained dark on the top and bottom sections and polished white where so many hands have used them over the years. Not a dig in any way... just interesting when contemplating the effort they went to on the outside of the building to make it look classy.

Bottom line... the emphasis here is really on wine. Spirits and beer vie for secondary attention but with that said, the selection is very adequate for the area.
Jul 24, 2008
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Reviewed by beerbeagle from Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
This has become my neighborhood store. I had driven by the place numerous times and assumed it to be mostly a wine store, but after reading the beerfly reviews i decided to stop by. I have been surprised by the quality and selection of the beer at this store. yeas wine is th ebig emphasis here as at most liquor stores, but they have been allowed to develop the beer area, and you can tell that there are some dedicated beer people here. they may not have the areas largest selection, but what they have is well selection of both imported beers and domestic craft beers. they try to keep up with keeping stocked with all the latest, but at times have to contend with more beers out than they have shelf space for such as for awhile when there were many selectionds of the brewers gone wild series, nice problem. i have always found the service to be great and the chance to talk beer with some of the guys. price are about the normal for other place in that some are the same some are a little high and some a little lower. this makes this my store for weekly or more visits rather than being a destination store that i need to drive aways to get to.
Jul 11, 2008
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Reviewed by brewdoc75 from South Dakota

4.45/5  rDev +6.2%
I used to live in Highland Park and drove by this place quite a bit. I was in the neighborhood after stopping at Northern Brewer to pick up some home brew stuff and decided to stop by. When I initially walked in I thought the place would be too small to house a good beer selection. As I neared the coolers I found out how wrong I was. They had an excellent selection of regional craft brews as well as many others from the coasts. In addition to the coolers, they had a whole isle w/ room temperature brews. However the most impressive finding was the vast array of Belgians. One of the best selections I've seen in the Twin Cities. I spent way too much time looking around, but ultimately left w/ a bottle of Pawel Kwak, Ommegang Hennipen, a four pack of Hop Whore, and a six pack of Victory Prima Pils. The staff were incredible. When they saw me looking at the Belgian's they asked if I would like any help. Normally, I would say no as at most liquor stores they don't have a clue about what good beer is. But at this place, several of the staff members had a good understanding of belgians and craft beers alike. They were also able to enlighten me on what beers they were expecting to arrive in the near future. It's too bad I don't live in this neighborhood anymore. I think I will still go the 30 min out of my way to stop here occasionally.
Oct 28, 2007
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Reviewed by Aradan from Oregon

4.35/5  rDev +3.8%
This is my current favorite place to go. It has a cozy feel to it and the friendly staff don't mind chatting a little bit. The beer selection is quite good for a store this size. They've got a nice variety of Belgians, a number of microbrews (especially Bell's), and some impressive singles (Goose Island Bourbon County comes to mind). There are lots of interesting 22oz-ers as well, which my roommate and I have been exploring for a while. I am a Macalester student so there are a few places that are closer, but a little bit of extra walking is definitely worth it.
Feb 12, 2007
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Reviewed by objectivemonkey from Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +0.2%
Was doing a bit of work at nearby U of St Thomas, and decided to stop by afterwards. Like most places, you are greeted by wine, but a turn to the right brings you to a great selection of Belgians and bombers of greats, like Oak Aged Yeti and others from Colorado and beyond. They seem to stock a good mix of stuff, and its spread all over the beer cooler-wall, which was a little wierd, expensive craft mixed in with the BMC. Don't know if its because of a constantly rotating stock or to encourage customers to experiment, but I thought it a bit wierd.

The staff were otherwise very friendly and knowledgable. In particular, they were carrying a 6er of Brewer's Cave Golden Caramel Lager, from 'Blue Diamond Brewing Co.' of St Paul. Doubtful that I'd missed a new brewery opening, I asked them if they knew what the hell it was. Long story short, they were on the right track, but they were a bit wrong (and its brewed by Gluek, fyi), but whatever.

Anywho, if I lived in the neighborhood, it'd be my store. As it is, I'm sticking with Big Top and Cellars for proximity and service/selection, respectively, but would consider stopping by here every so often to give 'em business cause they deserve it for sure.
Jan 10, 2007
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Reviewed by BeerBuilder from Minnesota

4/5  rDev -4.5%
Swung in here after the BA gathering at Great Waters. It is a cozy little liquor store that seemed to pop out of nowhere. Their selection wasn't huge by any means but they do have a decent selection and some hidden gems. Went there for the Batch 6000 and we got the last sixer, I also found La Terrible there, which I have yet to see at any of my usual stops. The service was good, we walked in and asked for the Batch 6000 and one of the workers went and grabbed the last one and brought it up to the counter. It isn't a place I will go too often due to the fact that it is out of the way of my usual stops; but if I hear that they are carrying something I can't find at any of my usual spot, I will definitely return.
Dec 04, 2003
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Reviewed by tavernjef from Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev -9.3%
I really like this place, kinda small, but has a nice nieghborhood feel to it. This is one of only a few places that will break up six packs. I use to go there alot when I first started collecting beer bottles. They sell alot of single bottles as well, mostly 22oz and some broken up sixers. Selection is good with a good choice of standard micro brews and every now and then they beef up from a region of the US. Particularly the east and midwest. Staff are very good at answering questions and even taking suggestions and placing orders. Small parking lot, room for about six cars, then its the street parking which can be a hassle being on Grand near the colleges, but it hasn't really been a problem for me yet.
Mar 21, 2003
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Reviewed by ADR from Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
The selection of American micro six packs is very good and getting better and they have an excellent selection of single bottles, not just Belgians and other imports. They break up six packs of beers into singles for those of us who want to just sample or can only handle one Bell's Batch 5000 every five years. Clean place, well kept and similar to many Minnesota buildings, square brick structure with a flat roof. Minimal windows keeps down "light striking", lots of stuff is kept cool. Ideally situated to cater to University of St. Thomas and Macalester College students

Note: selection has been even better lately and the employees are starting to groove on stocking more stuff ...this place can honestly rival the better Minneapolis stores in what they try to keep on hand, some 400-500 different brews this past year. "Beer guy" Tim is always looking for new labels and will set aside stuff when you get to know him.
May 26, 2002
Thomas Liquors & Fine Wines in Saint Paul, MN
Place rating: 4.19 out of 5 with 29 ratings