Blue Z Liquor

Terrible customer service! I should’ve been the first one seen since I was on line first. But I wasnt. I don’t recommend this place to anyone.
Also, I had to train the lady at the front since the so called manager wasn’t even doing his job. I said, «you should press this button to make the transaction.» She said, «oh! This is my first time.» All I can manage was a grin and think to myself, lady you need more training especially when a customer has to teach/​train you!

If you need some wine, they have some. Dusty bottles of Barefoot? This place is your jam.
They have a cooler with cold whites, but almost all are chardonnays or moscatos.
Selection overall isnt the worst, but the thing that earns it a one-​star is the customer service-​namely the lady behind the counter. The cheerlessness makes one not want to return. When you say «thank you» at end of sale, and she hasnt so much as even grunted at you the whole transaction, including telling you the amount total, it leaves a really bad taste. Sunnysiders have long come to expect this from the cheerful checkout folks at FreshNSave/​KeyFoods, Associated, C-​Town/​Foodtown, but not the wine stores.

I was in the area and decided to try this place. I walk in, the bell rings to alert the staff, I walk up to the counter and the woman is watching something on her phone. I greet her, she totally ignores me, I stood there for some time and decided to go 51 St and Skillman Ave. They know how to take care of a customer.

Rip off for customers never go to this place. Unless you want to lose your money. He his trying to cheat you guys by putting a singh salon 2 wine bottles for 11.99 but when you go out to picks them he says it’s each for 11.99 and yes it actually says in fine print. The actual sign says «2 wines for 11.99» in fine print «each».

I was really excited when this place first opened up, as it would have been the closest liquor store to my apt and i wouldn’t have to hike to Queens Blvd when it’s snowing or raining outside (the things we do for vino…). However, Blue Z proved to be a major disappointment. Lesson learned: order booze online & in bulk or take the hike.
I’ve visited a couple of times to see if the selection and price improved from my first visit, but the slacking selection of Red wines are consistently and severely overpriced. I wasn’t even expecting to find a super rare or marvelous bottle of wine, just something more than the super small selection of Italian and French Reds. To top off the lack of variety, the prices are way too high. The wine i get from my usual liquor store is $ 3 – 5 cheaper a bottle.
Outside of the inventory, the staff is not helpful at all; I’ve asked if they had Barolo in stock and they pointed me to Californian Cabs. When I said no, that’s not it and asked for wines from Piedmont: the girl aimlessly pointed to random bottles and said maybe this, or this? Nope, that’s not it either. That’s from Sicily. She honestly had no clue about wine and was very rude and standoffish when I asked for help.
During another visit:
Upon entering the store, I kindly said hello and asked the cashier about where the Chiantis were-​he didn’t answer and pointed to another man who is apparently the help. Alas, he was no help. He didn’t know if they sold Montepulciano D’Abruzzo and didn’t offer an alternative or any sort of guidance. Literally: «I don’t know» [walked away] to which I walked out and never came back.

On one hand, Blue Z Liquor breathes life into what was a more desolate corner of Greenpoint. On the other hand, there is plenty of room for improvement. Like any new business, getting good comes with practice and time and I’m hoping Blue Z has what it takes to become a better player in the liquor store game.
First, let’s talk positives. The place is clean … and absurdly bright. Many businesses are plagued with generic signage that stands out in these parts, which is certainly not the case with Blue Z — they’re so bright you could hardly miss em. Also, kudos to the layout of the bottles as everything is very easy to find.
Now onto the things that could be better:
* Customer service: I haven’t seen too many friendly faces behind the counter. There is no greeting of customers and I’ve heard them let the phone ring forever before they pick it up with a stale «hello.» Not one mention of the store or the amiable attitude that comes with the territory. They’re generally not the most helpful folks either. I’ve gotten a lot of «it’s over there» or «I don’t know» answers to my brand inquiries. Not particularly fun.
* The prices. All businesses are in for the profit, but competitive pricing is what keeps people in the game. There are cheaper bottles to be had at some of the more popular places around the block. Not just a little cheaper, but drastically cheaper — as much as 20%. You would think these prices are more Queens Blvd than they are Greenpoint Ave. I digress.
Fingers crossed there is some resolve in the making. I’m hoping they’ll grow out of their new biz kinks and be able to address the demand for all booze hounds and future alcoholics alike.

OK, I never expected them to compete on price or variety with the awesome Lowery Liquors on Queens Blvd., but I did hope that their prices wouldn’t be so much higher. On the low end of the price spectrum, wines are at least 2 or 3 dollars a bottle more. That would be fine since it saves me the walk to Queens Blvd., but sadly the other reviewer is right. The staff are totally disinterested in the customers (ALWAYS too busy with their smartphones), have no knowledge of any of the stock, and, most unfortunately, the proprietors put up horrible tacky lighting around the windows of the store. What could have been an awesome south side shop is only a place I go as a last resort (like, it’s Sunday night and Lowery Liquor is already closed).