Binny's Beverage Depot

emerge077

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

This is a very solid Binnys location. I've been to *most* of the locations (20/25), and despite this one seemingly being an older one, the selection was extensive, and the service was great.

Located in a strip mall, the Binnys sign juts out as a beacon in a sea of mediocre retail establishments. Once inside, past the entrance, it was dense with liquor gift packs. along the wall was the first beer shelf, followed by several more the further back you go. There were full lines from many craft brewers, up first was the majority of Allagash 750 series, and some local sixers from Emmetts and Argus caught my eye further down. Local beers had a shelf tag stating that they were made in Chicago or the surrounding area, which I thought was cool. Often the locals can get lost in a sea of big brands. I won't get into the specifics of the selection, but the Naperville Binnys hit all possible styles. Berliner Weisse, Gueuze, Double IPA, Imperial Stout, Saison, Wild Ales, you name it. I left with some Emmetts Victory Pale (0209=July '10 bottling, 6 months old :/), some obscure Euro imports, DFH Namaste, and a couple other things. Plenty of obscure imports: Scandinavian, Euro, German, English (XXXB, Lees Harvest, Elizabethan), and more. Everything was freshly dusted, though I didn't check dates on everything.

Nate was the beer guy, and was great to talk to. While I was browsing, he talked beer with another customer, and answered my questions thoroughly. Overall a very positive experience here.

12-06-2010 00:46:16 | More by emerge077

Dogbrick

Ohio

4.24/5  rDev +9.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

(Visited 11/2010): Binny's is located in the Cress Creek Square shopping center on the west side of Naperville on West Ogden, not too far off I-88. There is a large private lot in front of the store.

The interior of this store is large, with the rear and right area being devoted to beer. There are coolers in the far back with many singles, and several aisles for beer segregated for the most part geographically. Local and regional breweries like Flossmoor Station, Goose Island etc are well represented, as are domestic micros and craft imports.

Service is about what I expect at a place like this. I was greeted and asked if I needed help (which I didn't) and had a friendly cashier.

Overall I was impressed with this store and would definitely put it near the top of the list of places to go for bottles from breweries I cannot find at home.

06-24-2011 21:14:06 | More by Dogbrick

DoubleSimcoe

New York

3.36/5  rDev -13.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | $$$

My second Binny's in one day, and I already got a store card and found some goodies!

This one is right next to my relative's house, which is cool and convenient for a beer run while I'm staying around Naperville. A gigantic store, with a million wines, good selection of bourbons, spirits, a cigar humidor and the beer, of course!

First thing I found beer-wise was an interesting "sale shelf", with well-priced Mikkeller, Nils Oscar Imperial Stout, Belgians and other stuff. I got a weird oak-aged porter from an obscure American craft for $2.99.

Then there is a shelf for Belgians, another one for quality European imports (including more Mikkeller, plus some Harvest ales) and a long shelf with 6- and 4-packs of all the American micros you can imagine, with an emphasis on Midwest beers like Boulevard, O'Fallon, Lakefront, Sprecher and New Holland.

Overall, though, I was not too impressed. Lots of beer but no excitement. No rarities, no aged goodies, no surprises like the Abacus and Parabola I found at the Binny's Express in Hyde Park. In fact I had to refrain myself there thinking I would buy a lot here in Naperville but that was not the case. I left with only two small bottles.

Service and price are very Binny's. No help offered, ridiculously high prices (except for the occasional sale). Beer and bourbon are more expensive than in New York City!

A good store, but when in the area, I will always choose Malloy's over this Binny's.

09-01-2011 01:23:05 | More by DoubleSimcoe

crossovert

Wisconsin

3.44/5  rDev -11.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | $$$

This Binny's is in a strip mall. It definitely feels like one of the smaller ones on the inside. The beer selection here is not as expansive as other Binny's. I found that odd.

They did have a nice" discount" rack but the seasonal rack didn't have anything good on it really. They also have the mix 6er. The import selection is really small for a Binny's.

Didn't get any employee contact.

Overall this store isn't the greatest Binny's out there. It is interesting to see that there really are some poorer Binnys out there. This one and the McHenry one seem to have the weakest selection of the ones I have been too. It still is a great selection though.

06-10-2012 02:18:24 | More by crossovert

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +12.4%
quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

This place is in a strip mall and has a big wall of windows in the front. It has the feel of a Binny's which is open and spacious but not really a warehouse feel. The beer is in the back to the right as you enter and it is spread out. The beer section is large but you can't see all of it from any one spot.

They had a very good selection and lots of beer that I am unfamiliar with. I think many of them are run of the mill beers that have trendy label art, and many of them were from Eastern Europe. There was also a good German selection and a very nice Midwest representation. I was surprised to see things like Jolly Pumpkin's Maracaibo Especial along with several other Jolly Pumpkin brews and a large selection of Avery including Samael's oak aged ale. Sadly there Bell's sections were all cleared out except for a palate of Oberon. Above one row of bottles there was a nice selection of glassware that was clean. That is what impressed me the most was how everything in the store was very clean. Even the Belgian section had very clean bottles with a bottle of Prestige in a box. Although I didn't find anything rare, the beer selection is the best I have seen at a Binny's and that is impressive.

11-01-2006 20:33:03 | More by rhoadsrage

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.4%
quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

My second trip to a Binny's during a recent visit to the area. When you are used to dealing the beer laws in Pennsylvania, any type of store like this is heaven. There were lots of NA micro brews. There was also a large selection of Eastern European beers. Belgians were also well represented. All the stock looked fresh. The most dissapointing thing was the limitedf ability to buy singles. I did enjoy the visit and left with a nice selection. If you could combine there representation of local beers wuth the convenince of singles at State Line, you would have the perfect store.

05-27-2008 21:54:37 | More by tgbljb

mynie

Indiana

1.6/5  rDev -58.7%
quality: 1 | service: 1 | selection: 3 | $$

My friend and I brought my little cousin into this place last afternoon. I'm visiting the area and had heard good things about Binny's selection and since my friend and I were both over 21 I figured they wouldn't mind if we brought a ten year old girl with us into the store. We were effective guardians, after all, and it's not like this was a strip club. It's one of those chain liquor stores that tries its best to convey a sterile, family-friendly atmosphere.

Nice selection but nothing that impressive. I grabbed a few bottles and headed up to the counter. I got carded, fine. My friend got carded, even though he wasn't buying the booze (which is a retarded retail practice), but he's over twenty-one so it's fine. Then they asked my little cousin for her ID. Let me repeat that: they asked a ten-year-old girl for an ID. Of course, being a small child she didn't have any proper identification with her, and so my patronage was refused.

Easily the worst beer-buying experience I've ever had. The kids working the counter were cocky little pricks, and not allowing me to buy beer because I had a small child with me who was so young as to not have been in any way interested in drinking is fucking retarded. Bad business, plain and simple, and I will never even consider shopping there again.

03-13-2005 20:23:58 | More by mynie

AleWatcher

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +5.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$$

So yeah, it's a Binny's.
It looks like a Binny's... Carries all the beers a Binny's carries, and has the EXACT pricing as every other location (is this set by corporate or what?)

If you've already been in a Binny's store, you'll know what to expect here... Look for good deals and you'll find some. Look only for the newest beers and you'll overpay on a few.

In my visits the staff was friendly and cool. They seemed knowledgeable too.

This is another store that gets some beers the Plainfield location doesn't-- and the beer arrives here two to 3 weeks before it hits Plainfield or Orland.

Worth stopping by if you're in the area-- especially if you stop in during one of the "beer month" sales.

08-19-2011 14:28:42 | More by AleWatcher

kmpitz2

Tennessee

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | $$$

Stopped in here while in the area a few weekends ago. This place has a supermarkey-like feel to it. They had quite a bit of brew on display, with a large selection of eastern European brews, due to the ethnicity of the area. There were most of the usualy suspects here, with a few nice brews that I was looking for like Unibroue Ephemere Black Currant. There was not a person to be found to help us while there, but it was pretty strait forward. Overall, this was a nice little shop to hit. If you are in the area its worth hitting, but don't go out of your way to get there.

05-02-2005 22:22:39 | More by kmpitz2

FosterJM

California

3.64/5  rDev -5.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | $$

Was staying in Naperville for work, so took the hotel shuttle over.

Atm- Large strip mall location which looks expansive from the outside, but alas is not as large on the inside. Semi- well lit. A few coolers in the back and most bottles open on the shelves.

Quality- Had a few nice things, but didnt have a lot of quality in the house. Missing some heavy hitters from the local regional markets. Couldve been an off day but I was able to find Boon Marraige Parfait, so didnt have to order online, that was a plus.

Service- Very helpful. Even allowed me to sign up for Binnys savings card, even though not from the area. Helpful on an exchange as well.

Selection- Pretty let down by this one, but did find a couple things that were nice. B.Nektar, New Holland, Boon. Was dissapointed heavily in the mixed 6 packs. Really shitty selection on that.

Food- N/A

08-21-2012 15:18:18 | More by FosterJM