What is your Scariest Liquor Store Experience

[Enoch]

I travel around alot in small towns and stop at every building that has red dots to see what they may have. I stopped at one the other day and realized I was in this woman's living room which had shelves and some liquor on them for sale. She really never got up from her recliner watching TV but I did find a quart of "Bourbon Supreme" from the 70's. I doubt it is very drinkable but for $5 it will make a nice conversation piece. My point is that a lot of the stores I find old stuff are in really scarey parts of town. So what is your scariest experience?

[DeanSheen]

If ever there was a thread made for Tony, ACDETROIT, this is it.

[ThomasH]

I was in my local liquor store about 10 years ago and a customer in front of me started arguing with the clerk about something. After being threatened, the clerk picked the bottle the customer was going to buy and threatened to hit him over the head with it!

Thomas

[squire]

Nothing scary instore, however one of my better finds was in a neighborhood I wouldn't enter after dark.

[Special Reserve]

If ever there was a thread made for Tony, ACDETROIT, this is it.

I've been in liquor store all over Detroit. I've never been scared.

There was a time when I'd walk by myself down a back alley in the Cass corridor at 0100 to a party store to get a pack of cigarettes. Perhaps the rats were more intimidating than anything else. I guess that I was the potentially intimidating person back then.

[cowdery]

I'm happy to say I've never had a scary liquor store experience.

Every liquor store experience I've had has been glorious.

[ACDetroit]

I to have been in many (I wouldn't say all) but many Liquor stores in Detroit. Most in neighborhoods many would not go to in the day or night. I'm not a big guy but I try to carry myself well and treat others the way I would expect to be treated. Ran into some crazies, mostly funny, some religious and some just wanting some spare change, though none really harmful.

I have passed stores when I was solo vowing to go back due to the clientele gathered in mass numbers by the front door. I might be a bit crazy but mamma didn't raise no fool!

AC

[T Comp]

More sad than scary are two stores that I hunted in that had subsequent robberies with a clerk or owner being shot dead. These were not in bad neighborhoods either. I've hunted in some of the roughest areas in Chicago and not had any real scary experiences (or found much drinkable dusty whiskey in these stores either) but urban common sense is absolutely required. More than four guys standing around the door, bringing paper bags to their mouth means it's not worth the hassle. I've been harassed some in parking lots but my skin color, sport coat attire and driving a dark blue Ford sedan helps in spreading the peace.

My heart once gained a few beats when someone started pounding on my hood and screaming at me while backing my car up, but as I turned my head, it was the clerk from behind the plexiglass, holding a green labelled bottle and bursting with excitement that she had found one with the number 16 on it. Handing over a $20 bill for the $14.99 sticker price was worth conducting the sale right in the lot :grin: .

[tmckenzie]

Buying from a store that was known for bootlegging, when I was barely of age. The owner said the abc man was just by, that to come back tommorow, and you can get what you want. The abc man is what scared me. As a side note, we always said you could send a baby in with 5 bucks and the baby would come out with a six pack and the right change.

[sailor22]

On the way to the Houston gathering last spring I stopped at a Mobile Al. liquor store in a rough section and walked by three guys talking in the parking lot. When I came out one was on the ground bleeding and cops were chasing the other two. They had apparently beat him and took his wallet. Could have been me. I never heard a thing inside the store but someone must have been paying attention as the cops arrived literally within seconds of the event.

[BBQ+Bourbon]

I was shopping at a little neighborhood store at 11th and Quindaro a few months back when I spotted an agitated, disturbed man pacing the block and having a heated discussion with himself. Across the street, vehicles would pull up to a curb and a man would walk down the steps, lean inside the vehicle, and they would part ways. Freaked out crack whores stand under the bus stop signs. Inside the store, customers stand inside a 4x8' area seperated from the product-and the clerk- by thick lexan. I found several bottles I wanted, and by the time we completed the transaction, the crackheads behind me were getting restless.

Nothing bad happened, but it did get raise my heart rate!

[dean_martin]

On the way to the Houston gathering last spring I stopped at a Mobile Al. liquor store in a rough section and walked by three guys talking in the parking lot. When I came out one was on the ground bleeding and cops were chasing the other two. They had apparently beat him and took his wallet. Could have been me. I never heard a thing inside the store but someone must have been paying attention as the cops arrived literally within seconds of the event.

You have to be careful in Mobile. Here's a little tale from Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids explaining what happened to them when they tried to buy fried chicken for a Mobile show:

Miller says all this chicken craziness is built right into their contract: no chicken, no show. And after getting robbed while buying chicken in Mobile, Ala., the band makes the promoters buy the bird. "We used to buy it, but it was breaking us," explains Miller. "And then we got a gun pulled on us at a chicken joint in Mobile. We got robbed. So we decided, let's make this the promoter's responsibility. Because nobody wants a rock & roll band to get shot buying chicken. But promoters ..."

[unclebunk]

You have to be careful in Mobile. Here's a little tale from Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids explaining what happened to them when they tried to buy fried chicken for a Mobile show:

Miller says all this chicken craziness is built right into their contract: no chicken, no show. And after getting robbed while buying chicken in Mobile, Ala., the band makes the promoters buy the bird. "We used to buy it, but it was breaking us," explains Miller. "And then we got a gun pulled on us at a chicken joint in Mobile. We got robbed. So we decided, let's make this the promoter's responsibility. Because nobody wants a rock & roll band to get shot buying chicken. But promoters ..."

That's really funny!:slappin:

As others have pointed out, "urban common sense" is the order of the day when dusty hunting in crime-ridden areas. Being a bit cautious while exuding confidence as you walk in the door works well for me. I was a probation officer in New York for many years and nowadays have a sixth sense that alerts me when danger is lurking, but I can tell you point blank that it's not worth getting shot in the head for a bottle of whiskey. Although I've never been bothered by anyone while dusty hunting here in Chicago, on several occasions I've gotten back in my car after a quick browse and felt that I'd really pushed my luck. At the end of the day you have should always trust your instincts: if you sense danger, stay away.

[CorvallisCracker]

Never been in any situation where I felt personally endangered, but was once presented with a situation that was a clear-and-present danger for others.

A few years ago I was in a Tallahassee liquor store (Ryan and Steve - the ABC on Thomasville between the Bradford/Benton Rd and Glenview Dr intersections)(BTW I used to live on Glenview). There was a scuzzy young guy, wearing nothing but a ratty pair of khaki shorts, walking up to the counter with a bottle of Everclear. While the clerk (also young) started ringing it up, I noticed the kid was swaying in the wind, even though there wasn't any.

I happened to already be chatting with the manager and commented, "Guess that No Shirt No Shoes - No Service sign is just for show."

He walked over to the kid an told him he'd have to add these items before they'd sell him anything. The kid got very argumentative, then went out to his van.

I walked up to the counter to buy whatever it was I was buying, and commented to the manager, "That boy is already too drunk too be driving."

Kid came back in, now wearing a tee shirt (still no shoes). As I was walking out I heard the manager telling him that they weren't going to sell him anything because he was clearly intoxicated and they couldn't accept the liability.

Once outside, I walked around behind the van, pulled out my cell, dialed 911, explained the situation and gave them the license plate number and a description of the van. At this point the kid came out, got in the van, and started to pull out. I walked to the sidewalk, observed him turn north and get into the left turn lane, which I reported to the 911 operator. "I expect he's going to head up to the Albertsons liquor store on North Monroe."

The 911 operator told me she'd relay all this to the police and thanked me, so I hung up. I walked back to my truck, looking inside the store while I did so. Looked like the clerk was getting a good chewin' out.

[sku]

Just the other day, I was driving along in an area I don't get too much when I saw a liquor store sign. I started to slow down and saw that there was a police car parked outside, and that the officer was out of his car, rifle drawn, wearing bullet proof vest. Needless to say, I drove on. As my luck would have it, that one was probably was full of Stitzel-Wellers too.

[Gillman]

Enoch: I wouldn't assume the Bourbon Supreme is not drinkable, some from the era was quite good (or did you mean because of sitting on the shelf?).

My experiences are very similar to Tony's. There is nowhere during the day I won't go, in the U.S. or Canada anyway. I exercise normal caution of course, anyone has to. The most hassle I recall was a guy trying to convince me of the merits of Georgi vodka, in Alphabet City in New York. When I actually explained in a way I'm sure was nerdish to him what I was about, he actually got what I was talking about.

Gary

[bonneamie]

I've dustied hunted in Detroit, prudently, and the scariest thing I've come across is the smell in some of those little stores. Ugh. Like rotting food.

[craigthom]

You have to be careful in Mobile. Here's a little tale from Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids explaining what happened to them when they tried to buy fried chicken for a Mobile show:

I can't say SCOTS is my favorite band, but I can say they are the one I have seen most often (and will be seeing again three weeks from tomorrow).

I still haven't been Santo.

Those of you who haven't seen Southern Culture on the Skids should check Youtube to see what they do with the fried chicken during the song "Eight Piece Box".

[CryForHelp]

My scariest liquor store experience was back in 2006. I was in kwik e stop san jose, ca. I was buying a couple of sodas and a case of beer when i heard some ruckus outside, so i stepped out and left my stuff at the counter. I saw a 15 year old kid lying on the ground covered in blood and his father lying maybe 7 feet away stabbed in the back. i ran back inside and told the clerk and he came out. I walked toward the sidewalk and all the police showed up and started putting up tape and told me to back up, i saw the kid was dead, no doubt about it but the father looked alive just incoherent. This stabbong was gang related and the kid had nothing to do with it except who his father was. I sat at the bus stop and started thinking about the time my father was stabbed right on front of my eyes at another liquor store back on 1993, i was 8. I started to cry thinking about how my fathers choices could have impacted me more than they did, and i though how lucky i was. This kid died for no reason, and his father lived. I don't know what happened after, all i know is that that day i decided to become a police officer, and now i'm halfway there. I guess its experiences like these that really open your eyes.

[CryForHelp]

Never been in any situation where I felt personally endangered, but was once presented with a situation that was a clear-and-present danger for others.

A few years ago I was in a Tallahassee liquor store (Ryan and Steve - the ABC on Thomasville between the Bradford/Benton Rd and Glenview Dr intersections)(BTW I used to live on Glenview). There was a scuzzy young guy, wearing nothing but a ratty pair of khaki shorts, walking up to the counter with a bottle of Everclear. While the clerk (also young) started ringing it up, I noticed the kid was swaying in the wind, even though there wasn't any.

I happened to already be chatting with the manager and commented, "Guess that No Shirt No Shoes - No Service sign is just for show."

He walked over to the kid an told him he'd have to add these items before they'd sell him anything. The kid got very argumentative, then went out to his van.

I walked up to the counter to buy whatever it was I was buying, and commented to the manager, "That boy is already too drunk too be driving."

Kid came back in, now wearing a tee shirt (still no shoes). As I was walking out I heard the manager telling him that they weren't going to sell him anything because he was clearly intoxicated and they couldn't accept the liability.

Once outside, I walked around behind the van, pulled out my cell, dialed 911, explained the situation and gave them the license plate number and a description of the van. At this point the kid came out, got in the van, and started to pull out. I walked to the sidewalk, observed him turn north and get into the left turn lane, which I reported to the 911 operator. "I expect he's going to head up to the Albertsons liquor store on North Monroe."

The 911 operator told me she'd relay all this to the police and thanked me, so I hung up. I walked back to my truck, looking inside the store while I did so. Looked like the clerk was getting a good chewin' out.

[tommyboy38]

I walked into a liquor store and found a case of VOF but then I realized I didn't have any money.

[Special Reserve]

I walked into a liquor store and found a case of VOF but then I realized I didn't have any money.

[CorvallisCracker]

I sat at the bus stop and started thinking about the time my father was stabbed right on front of my eyes at another liquor store back on 1993, i was 8.

You didn't say if he survived. I will presume to speak on everyone's behalf here and say we hope that he did, and that you have our condolences if he did not.

As for becoming a police officer, that's a hard road. Good luck with it. You will find that 90% of the people you have to deal with will be lying to you, which makes it hard to remember that the other 10% are telling the truth.

[CorvallisCracker]

thats a nice story, its a good thing you did, you may have saved a life or two

That was my intent and hope. Despite an effort that's being made to depict me as a terrible person, I'm not.

Anyway, I think I need a little time away from here. Don't anyone get too happy though; I'll be back.

[callmeox]

I was in a store in a decent part of Kentucky looking for dusties and I spotted an ORVW 15yo on the top shelf. As I was reaching for it, I heard a gruff voice behind me and felt a poke of cold steel in my ribs.

"Put it down and you will live to see another day. Don't test me, you will lose."

That was the only ORVW 15 that I had ever seen on the shelf and it sucks that I let my guard down and missed out on such a great bottle. At least I lived to tell the story.

(back off, that's how I remember it going down)