New chiller and shop layout for Black Bull Liquor Stratford

When you walk into Black Bull Liquor Stratford, you’ll be met with a friendly team of staff with a wealth of knowledge in the liquor industry. Store manager Simarjot (Sam) Singh says each member of the staff is knowledgeable about the products they sell.

“The owner has been in the liquor industry for the past 10 years. We often refer to him as the encyclopaedia of liquor.” Employing locals such as Denise Grant and Paul Hitchcock is important, says Sam. “Denise has been here for the year and Paul started here three months ago. They’ve both lived here their whole lives and have had other jobs in the industry in the past. They have local knowledge and that’s vital when you’re a local business.”

Before her job at Black Bull Liquor Stratford, Denise says she worked at The Mill Liquorsave before it closed.

“That store has now been pulled down. I’ve been in the industry for years now and I enjoy every minute. I’m thankful for my old customers that followed me and the new customers I’ve met as well. I enjoy meeting people.”

Sam says he moved to Stratford last year when the shop was purchased.

“I’ve always loved living in small towns. I spent two years in Auckland but before that, I lived in small towns. I like living here, it’s a nice place with a lot of nice people.” He says they did plenty of work getting the building up to standard. “We cleaned the shop and then invested in some stock.”

After being open for a while Sam says the owner decided to invest in the layout of the shop, increasing the size of the store’s chiller. “We moved the counter to the front of the shop which made it easier for people to find what they want but also changed the vibe of the shop.”

Sam says he and the staff take pride in their customer service and by changing the layout, they were able to better accommodate people and their shopping needs.

“It’s definitely given the wow factor. The customers say the shop is so beautiful, and it smells great. We burn incense each day to make the shop smell fresh and lovely.”

Sam says he and the staff are happy to meet new people and use their knowledge of the liquor industry to help customers find what they want.

“We love working in Stratford and being part of the community.”