Great service, selection are hallmarks of top-shelf retailer
BEST PLACE TO BUY BEER, BEST PLACE TO BUY LIQUOR AND BEST PLACE TO BUY WINE
Colonial Wine & Spirits has kept the party flowing in central Arkansas since the 1950s, longevity that has come as a result of the company’s hallmark friendly staff and customer-centric shopping experience.
“We have built our business on providing great service and then selection, and then everything else kind of comes after that,” said Clark Trim, president. “That is our focus — training our employees to be knowledgeable on the products that we sell and to be very attentive to customers’ needs.”
In the 2023 Best of the Best voting, Colonial Wine & Spirits won Best Place to Buy Beer, Best Place to Buy Liquor and Best Place to Buy Wine. With a visit to the 12,500-square-foot retail location, it is not hard to see why, as each category of beverage offers an expansive selection to meet every budget or occasion.
“It’s an ongoing everyday process,” Trim said of managing inventory. “We read everything we can in industry publications in order to to be on the forefront of what the next trend is going to be. It’s absolutely ever-changing.”
Trim said that even with this constant attention to trends and customer input, there have been some curveballs that have come along over the years.
“I never will forget two surprises, one a little bit in the past and one more recent,” he said. “The first one was white zinfandel. Who would have ever thought white zinfandel would become the iconic beverage that it was back in the ’90s and early 2000s? The coming of the white zinfandel was a surprise, and then leading up to, at least being a precursor to what I call very fine wines, the drier styles of rosette wines were a great evolution.
“The more recent thing is seltzer waters. That just came out of nowhere, but they actually have people in the beer business, the spirits business and the wine business really concerned because some of them are beerbased, some are spirits-based, and some are wine-based.”
While trends may come and go, Colonial Wine & Spirits has remained a favorite option among those looking to raise a toast. Trim said Best Of the Best recognition is a great validation of the work and effort the company puts in daily to exceed customer expectations.
“We certainly are honored to be voted among the Best of the Best,” he said. “It’s a great validation for our team and something we’re very proud of.”