Total Wine And More

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.59/5  rDev -9.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | $$

Total wine is a huge establishment. Significantly larger than any combination of beer/wine/spirit shop to be found in my home state of PA. The place is clean, well lit and roomy. My biggest gripe is the layout though. Beer is somewhat of an underdog in comparison to the selection of spirits and wine. While walking the isles, it seems like the wine and spirits are placed in an orderly fashion. The beer on the other hand is sporatic with seemingly no organization. 2 isles of singles, another 2-3 isles of 4-packs, 6-packs and larger bundles. Instead of all the beer being located in those isles, you will find others sporatically placed selections throughout the store. Random ends of isles also have some of their own displays like Boston beer Co and Dogfish Head on opposite sides of the store.

Despite having to walk a lot to determine if i saw everything they had available, they did have a nice mixed selection and prices were reasonable. I snagged a few Florida brews such as Intuition 6-pack of IPA cans for under $10 and a Swamp Head 750ml (which happened to be on the pricier side at $18.) Some Weyerbacher could be found at the same price or even cheaper than we can get it at the brewery itself. Rodenbach large format bottles were seemingly half the price that we see in PA, I couldnt resist buying a few.

I cant speak much about the service. While they seemed appropriately staffed, I was not even acknowledged during the 20 minutes or so that I was shopping. Not that it bothers me that much, but they were not busy by any means (9:30 pm on a Saturday.) But at least having the opportunity to inquire about a few brews I was looking for would have been appreciated. Regardless, I was pleased overall and would stop here again.

07-01-2012 16:14:27 | More by stakem

Aiptasia

Florida

4.94/5  rDev +24.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Total Wine has the best selection of domestic and imported beers, wines and liquor in the entire Jacksonville area. Period. Enter the front door, and you're in an upscale warehouse-style liquor store. If you're into craft beer or wine at all, this is the place that sets the standard in Jax.

The atmosphere is up scale. Employees are required to wear uniforms (polos for associates, white shirt and tie for managers) and the store itself is well organized and compact. Wine and beer tastings, special release parties and classes are held monthly, so check their marquis often for the latest happenings.

The quality is really good. They stock a lot of beers and will rotate out old stock that is past it's freshness date. Beers are divided into sections by country and then by style, with a whole wall devoted to singles organized by style. Mix and match sixes, bombers and 750 ml bottles abound. Be sure to check the end caps and main aisles for more beer displays as sometimes what you're looking for isn't on the main shelves.

The service is a cut above. Most of the employees are quite knowledgeable and will endeavor to stop whatever they are doing and help you find an item if you're searching for something in particular. If they can't help you or if it's out of their expertise, they will call for the manager of that particular section over their headsets for help. They're quick to offer good suggestions for interesting items or styles that you might prefer and won't steer you wrong if you're vascillating on making a choice.

The selection is, well, just outstanding. If they bottle it, and if there is a distributor for it in FL, Total Wine probably has it in stock. There is no better place in town to line your beer cave.

Food is almost non-existant, except for some snack items near the checkout areas, sodas and mixers for hard liquor. I guess I could make a meal out of cocktail onions and beer nuts, but why?! If you're hungry, go eat at town center. There's a Five Guys burgers right next door. Then get your drinks at TW.

The value of their items is in line or better than a lot of prices i've seen in down. They operate on volume and fast turn around, so their markup isn't quite as extreme. They're also inclined to mark down items in order to move it off of their shelves. Which reminds me, they have some holiday ales on their end cap right now I better pick up. $1.99 a bottle before Christmas, $1.00 a bottle now. Sale! Score!

PS: Ask for Steve. He's the best. Lisa also has a great knowledge of local and other craft brews.

01-07-2012 19:14:59 | More by Aiptasia

dcs1548

Florida

4.44/5  rDev +12.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Great selection with a good variety of various styles. Store is very neat and well organized. They have a good selection of many beers that are difficult to find elsewhere in Jacksonville, too. Good amount of foreign as well as domestic beers. They definitely have one of the best selections of beer in Jacksonville. As far as price I found it to be pretty reasonable compared to other places that carried similar beers. Any of the staff that I have ever dealt with has been friendly and willing to answer any questions that I had.

12-25-2011 20:39:15 | More by dcs1548

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

Atmosphere: Nice warehouse type beer store. Very neat, organized, and clean. No dusty bottles here.

Quality: All the standard offerings from all the big names in beer from all over the USA.

Service: Excellent service. Employee looked a few beers on computer up without any prompting to help serve the customer.

Selection: I think that at least 2 full isles of bomner bottles or more. 6 isles or more of 6 packs of beer. i full isle on both sides of belgians or more! Massive amount of beer almost overwhelming... If that is possible!

Value: Standard prices, no bargins, but not getting ripped here either.

Overall: Second best beer store in jacksonvlle Florida. Worthy of a visit. It will take some time to look through all those beers.

06-16-2011 20:49:41 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Wow...great selection and great service. We were in JAX visiting family for a week, and we made 3 trips to TW. The staff was very helpful finding brews we were looking for, as well as letting us know when deliveries would be made. Good selection, but I have been to other TW stores that have the beers assorted by brewery instead of by style, which I have found much easier to navigate. Other than that, I will absolutely make return trips to this store. The prices were very reasonable, and the selection was the most impressive that I saw while we were in the JAX area. Very pleasant experiences.

03-08-2011 06:06:59 | More by GarthDanielson

eaglefreak

Mississippi

4.28/5  rDev +8.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Being from out of town, I went beer shopping here on 2/18/11. Was able to get some great stuff: several Cigar City offerings, a few Bell's offerings, Black IPAs, and some Belgians. Steve, the beer guy and his staff were very helpful. I'm especially thankful to Steve for recommending Kickbacks and telling me to me Steve, the owner. For a big wine, liqour, and beer warehouse, I thought this place was still very good. I will be back. When visiting Jville, this is the place to go and stock up on your beer inventory.

02-24-2011 19:08:25 | More by eaglefreak

BrewCrew2010

New York

4.15/5  rDev +4.8%
quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$

This is the closest place for me to go to get decent craft beer and often I find myself making excuses to go across town to go there.

The store itself is very clean and organize. There are several aisles where you can mix-a-six and it seems that they've added more beer in the past few months. They also hang signs as you're walking into the store letting you know what beer is new. My biggest complaint is that the staff is not very helpful or knowledgeable (except for Steve, the beer guy). Often times I'll ask if they have a type of beer and they say they don't, but they do. Or they say they have a beer and they don't. Kind of frustrating. Anytime they get really good stuff (like Cigar City) they run out really quickly adding to my frustration. Like I said though, they are the closest place for me to go.

Love the store. Steve, I guess he's the beer guy, is great when he's there. Wished the other staff was better. Planning on making an excuse to go there soon. Good place to stop in Jacksonville.

Edit: Steve is great! I have found in the past few weeks the staff has been a lot more helpful and Steve is BEYOND nice. A must stop in Jacksonville.

08-15-2010 19:50:04 | More by BrewCrew2010

cbak999

Florida

4.15/5  rDev +4.8%
quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Total Wine has the most beer in town. Like other Total Wines, this place is a beverage warehouse! And now with a real beer guy working there, the selection is among the top 3 in Jacksonville. If you go, ask for Steve. The craft/micro selections take up 2 full isles with a whole third isle dedicated to purchasing by the bottle. They have a great bomber selection, and you can bet that if a new brewery is coming to Jax, Total Wine will be carrying it. I love this place and am in awe every time I walk in. Great selection, great service, great store!

08-10-2010 13:52:55 | More by cbak999

unclejimbay

Florida

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $

The largest and most comprehensive beer selection in Jacksonville as of 7/2010. Hands down.

Quality seems solid, never had any issues with beers fromt his location. Most brews seem fresh accoridng to labels, and shelfs rotate and get stocked regularly. Service is good if you fins the right person. Ask for Steve of Lisa if you run into a snag as they are the beer geeks of the house. If they are not in just ask them to get you the most knowledgable beer geek on staff.

Prices are reasonable on most brews, and down right cheap on others. They do publish coupons in the Folio weekly and some local sources. $1 each of bomber/750 (up to 4 each visit). Best price in town for all non rare beers also. Sierra Nevada is $7.49 all day every day. Cant beat that anywhere.

Special reserved brews are sometimes available at the front desk. Ask if you are interested. One of the top 3 sources in Jax for special releases and Cigar City brews as of 7/2010.

Lisa, Steve, and staff have worked hard to make craft beer a priority at this location. Cheers to TW SJTC!

07-07-2010 20:24:10 | More by unclejimbay

azorie

Florida

3.05/5  rDev -23%
quality: 3.5 | service: 2 | selection: 3.5 | $$

5/7/2010-Feb2011 notes:
Well they keep changing the layouts, lots of USA stuff. LOTS of singles, prices are getting higher sadly.

re-reviewing as they have redone the beer section for the better! lots of new brewers in stock. Belgains are down to next to NOTHING sadly.
great stock of Sam Adams now, Victory, and a few others new to the area. Well they have a BA or two if you don;t see it , they may have some in back of rare stuff they hold for BA, which is BS if you ask me.

Go to GRASSROOTS FOR Belgian's selection.

1st review:
New store, not as big as Tampa store, but its damn nice for Jacksonville.

I hope they make it and I hope they continue to sell the rare and slow moving beers that BeerAdvocate readers love.

Its mainly a wine and liquor store, I say about 8-15% of store is beer area. The selection seems to change a tad, but looks to be they are more concerned with volume sales, after all its a warehouse type store.
I am thankful they are here though.

Just added note: the great prices are gone, Orval was $3.50 now its $4.79, I would say they raised prices right under ABC prices, sad but at least the selection is a 1000 times better than any other store in JAX. Not any more sadly.

Going downhill fast sadly...

new addition:
26Jul08 beer selection is down again, lost a whole row! Not that they care, again as I said before they have a few beers, but they only keep what sales allot, no more Orval, Rochefort, and only the Westmalle double, Belgians are in short supply here. Why they cannot store the cases in back and have more beers on shelf's but this my last trip there unless they got something no 1 else does, heck even the prices are not the cheapest in town anymore. so sad but predictable. Its a wine place #1

2009 comments:

While I had a long talk with the regional mgr I see not much has changed. Now they did get in a few more micro's and for volume they are hard to beat, I noticed a few more brands now, but the Belgium selections are getting smaller not bigger.
They are close to being on par with the Orlando store, but they still refuse to get in rochefort, and westmall etc. I know they can get it because the manager at the Jax beach Euro street cafe is getting these regularly. of course if you love American micro's they got a decent selection of those.

I did quite a few price comparisons and they are the cheapest again. Unless its a case price of something sam's club carries.

05-07-2010 18:33:17 | More by azorie