Spec’s Wines, Spirits, & Finer Foods

I just go to the local establishments. They don’t pull the charging you more to
pay with a credit card. They should just stay in the larger cities where charges
like that are acceptable … Our small town does not need this

It’s a Spec’s. The selection is unmatched (except maybe by Total Wine) and the prices are fair. This particular location however, is not quite up to the usual Spec standard that I’m used to. It’s a smaller store and it doesn’t have the high-​end feel that many properties do.
I would definitely be back however, as a Spec’s is still a Spec’s.

Holy crap! You gotta check this place out. So many kinds of beer. This place has it all. And a good price. Plenty of parking. They need to shoo away the homeless people and other trash between the plasma place and the Greyhound station. I think they don’t accept credit cards.

Cory, my personally assigned liquor and wine consultant, made purchasing alcohol for my wedding a breeze, and I will absolutely be back to enlist Spec’s to help with my next event.
Purchasing alcohol in bulk can be daunting, especially if you don’t know how much to get per person. Cory sat me down, asked me the mix of wine to beer to cocktails we wanted for the event, plugged in our head count and told us exactly how much product to get.
From there, he loaded my cart for me, brought me to the beer consultant where I ordered my keg, then they got me checked out. It was the easiest part of our wedding planning process.
Thanks, Specs on Airport!

Went to Spec’s today. I very rarely go into a liquor store as am not a big drinker. The place is fine and clean, has an extensive collection, the staff is helpful, but here is the problem. When I went to check out I paid with a credit card. My before tax purchase was $ 27.19, but when I paid the total was $ 30.98 which was too high. When I asked the cashier I was informed that I was charged and additional $ 1.43 for using a credit card or 5% which it states on your receipt. And here is yet another thing. If it is true what is says on the receipt that you save 5% if you pay with cash then why are they charging the additional 5% to the marked prices? If they were not running a scam then the prices as marked should be what is charged with a credit car. And if you pay with cash then you should get 5% of the marked price. I realize these are piddly amounts, but think about it. Specs is a large chain, there are dozens of them all over the state and they charge this to anyone that uses a credit card. So they are raking in a lot of money from doing this. First and foremost, it is illegal in the state of Texas to charge consumers extra for using a credit card. So they are breaking the law. Secondly if you do the math, they are charging 5.25% for using the card. Now I have a merchant account and I know the ins and outs of it so it is reasonable to assume that Spec’s pays around 2% to their credit card processor. So that means they are making over 3% more in profit, all illegally, I have since contacted the OCCC which is the Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, and filed a complaint. I strongly urge anyone reading this review who has used a credit card at Spec’s to do the same. You were overcharged!!! I will not go back there again. I own a small business and am not allowed to do this. It is against the law and it is unethical. Maybe they have found a loophole in the law and are exploiting it, but I doubt it. So hopefully a few people will do what I have done today!

Cheap and cheerful! Tons of selection. Great knowledgeable staff! Always… always come here when I am in town…

Great selection and prices, but parking is always a pain in the ass. I was last here New Year’s Eve and it took at least 30 — 45 minutes from the time I got there until the time I left because of parking being so awful.

Great place

At the moment the temperature here in Austin, TX is 35 °F (1.67C) and the temperature is no way going to climb out of the 30’s so I’ve just returned from my favourite Texas ‘refreshment’ stand to pick up some Sandeman Private Reserve Port, cheese and salami. Normally I would pair a nice port with stilton but there was a good deal on the smoked gouda and I also threw in some Piller’s Black Kasse Gypsy Salami and got even a better deal on a 15oz. jar of roasted and slightly salted pistachios. After I finish a little work online, I’m going sit back with my snacks and watch Agatha Christie’s «Evil Under The Sun» and «Death On The Nile», both with Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot.

This is one of my favorite stores of any kind of all time. I remember the first time I visited this store and it is a memory of the same caliber as Christmas 1985 when I got a Cabbage Patch and a Barbie kitchen set (i.e. a damn good Christmas)! I love that I see the same staff there over the years — I hope that means you’re treatin ‘em right, Specs! My favorite staff member of all being the kind Beer Yeti who forages in the secret cave and brings me bottles of La Folie as a special treat. Mwah! I kiss you, Beer Yeti!

Please read the entire review, as I really think that one’s experience depends on who is working during a particular visit. I’m not a fan of inconsistency, so I wanted to include both of my experiences in this review.
Rude management. I was in line attempting to purchase a product that had a sign indicating that it was on sale. I asked the cashier to put my phone number in for the «KEY» so I could get the discount. He told me that my item wasn’t on sale. I told him that there was a sign indicating that it was on sale. he said, «IT IS NOT ON SALE.» I asked him to go check the sign and he said sternly, «After you show me your ID.» He scrutinized my ID and then went to check the sign. He said smugly that the sale was over a week ago but that he’d give me the discount. I just wanted to get out of there. I found him to be condescending and he acted like he was doing me a favor by giving me he discount when I WAS DOING HIM A FAVOR BY CALLING HIS ATTENTION TO THE INCORRECT SIGN. I wanted to call and give some feedback about the smug attitude that I received, but the guy who rang me up answered the phone and said he was the manager. FORGET IT BUDDY, I’M NOT GIVING YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A JERK TO ME AGAIN. I’m done shopping at SPECS.
Ok, sooooo I was running errands with a friend of mine and she needed to stop at Specs. I had previously had a terrible experience so I wasn’t thrilled at the prospect at returning to this establishment. HOWEVER, 5, YES FIVE different employees were all very nice, courteous, and helpful during this visit. Must have bee that I got the one miserable guy the other time that I visited Specs. Anyway, I am happy to report that the staff is now very friendly and after a great experience today, I would return again.

The selection is real hit or miss. It could be incredible but they run out of stuff all the time. It’s a little annoying to go back a couple of times in the same week and they are still out of two things you are looking for.
But the real reason they get the two stars is the employees. The big dude with the long hair and beard that does the beer is great. The dude that helps him is fine. The two ladies who have been cashiers for a long time are also friendly and helpful. Pretty much everyone else sucks.
How do they have so many shitty employees working with customers? I’ve had everyone from stockers to managers ignore the hell out of me.
I’ve seen a manager laugh after he walked by a line of eight people who were waiting for the one register that was open (with a horribly unqualified person working it). That’s not really customer service. You would think a manager would open a register and get people checked out. Not here.
I’m guessing the attitude stems from the fact that they are the warehouse for Austin so they may not care too much about the retail side of things. But I’m certain that if they tried they (and the company) would make a LOT more money.

Great selection, clean store, very very knowledgeable staff. I stop here after work on the regular.

This place is like a Wal-​Mart or Costco for drunks. Seriously. It’s nothing short of amazing. You like wine? They have probably one of the largest selections in town or at least that I have ever seen. You like beer? They have a pretty big selection of that too! For sake of visualization, there’s another location that used to be an Academy Sports! IT’S HUGE! Even if you don’t drink, they have bulk coffees and teas! You like fancy food? They have that too! I seriously LOVE this place but I can’t go often otherwise I’ll be in serious trouble. I have only had ONE issue ever and it was recently but it’s not even worth mentioning. Seriously.

This place really has everything. Gluten free beer, a bazillion wines, agavero, and that’s just alcohol-​wise. They have tons of yummy cheeses, dagoba chocolate, and mixers galore. It’s basically a hedonist’s dream come true.
The employees are extremely helpful and knowledgeable. There are often free samples of liquor throughout the store as promotions, (score!) many of which have lead me to make my drink choice for the night. I discovered deep eddy grapefruit and Waterloo gin through these samples, and I am truly grateful.
My only complaint is that it doesn’t quite measure up to the south location. South Spec’s has literally been the only place (tried central market, whole foods, everywhere) in Austin where I have been able to find manicotti pasta. Also it would be cool if they served food, too. But these are just ways to make a great place mo betta.

I went to this location purely on a whim. I was here in town to check out a show and since it was close to the hotel I was staying at I wanted to stock up on items I might not find in San Antonio. I wanted to take brews for the stay here but also my intent was to take hard to find stuff back with me on my trip home.
Firstly, since I am from San Antonio it is hard to maneuver around this damn town! GPS devices and IPhones always get me lost here. Secondly, when I eventually found it in some interstate maze of annoyance I, discounted my initial misgivings.
It reminds so much like the one we have back home on DeZavala Road except true connoisseurs of brews, wine and spirits inhabit this location. It is pretty vast and impressive. I was expecting more pretension and irony, but I was pleasantly surprised instead. Not only were the employees super knowledgeable but the patrons were friendly to match. For example I met a guy who worked at No Label, a brewing company in Katy, Texas who had happened to be there for a show also. We talked about brews forever and he told me how this Spec’s location was wonderful. He was correct.
His observation, like mine was how he liked how the store aisles open up freely to move through, which I also noted. Shelves and shelves for miles it seems, store beers and liquors foreign to me in San Antonio. They had ultra rare bottles of Dogfish Head, even rarer products from Austin breweries that will never see the light of day here at our Spec’s locations, much less our city. It has a very friendly vibe of brew nerds, wine heads and liquor lovers who use this store to converge and to soak up the experience as only glaring at a bottle or can can do.
Of course, the option of using debit/​cash to get a deal is in full effect here. The prices here are really good, just like the locations I have seen in San Antonio. The checkout counters are big enough to expedite large purchases, and ample enough to handle the smallest one as well. The checkout people are fast, helpful and efficient and ask you if you need boxes to carry your items. This location of Spec’s is really good and I can see why they are successful at what they do, as their franchises seem to resonate throughout the state.
I can only speak as a visitor, but I might say when your in Austin and you are looking to purchase beer, wine and spirits at a good price go check out this location.
p. s. According to some Unilocal reviewers they have pointed out that this is in fact their smallest Spec’s location. This is their smallest Spec’s location? I wonder what their bigger location looks like! I think seeking out the bigger one might be on my to do list for the incoming year! (4 and a half stars)

Dude. If you are looking for something alcoholic, just go here. They have it all!
I agree it’s smaller than the one up North and down South, but the selection is definitely good whether you are looking for craft beer or a specific scotch. I even found a new brand of Japanese whisky when it first became available here, which was a truly exciting find considering how hard it can be to get. Now, if only they could score me some Pappy…
Crazy parking lot and some interesting people watching at times.

This place is a giant warehouse sized liquor store, and without trying to sound like a guy with a drinking problem this place is pretty cool.
They have an amazing selection of Beer, liquor and wine. Prices are also very good.
Don’t let the cracked out Easter bunny looking logo discourage you from checking them out.
You’ll find what you were looking for and probably a few things you weren’t.

I LOVE SPECS. This store is a bit smaller than the South one, but that’s okay, they still have a huge selection of everything. If i’m ever looking for anything alcoholic, they either have it or know what I’m talking about. They’ve got everything from super cheapy alcohol to really nice expensive alcohol. And a lot of other non-​alcohol related items like party foods, chocolates, etc. Everything is almost always in stock, organized well, priced fairly and the store is really clean and neat.
They have a HUGE Texas wine section, which is seriously cool and which I frequent… um. a lot.
I was also really excited to be able to find a delicious muscat canelli from a winery in Paso Robles, CA that my boyfriend and I had just visited in March. And at a really reasonable price too!
Their employees are what partly make this place so freakin awesome. I can always ask for a recommendation and get a great one. I have even been shopping and had an employee walk by, look in my cart and let me know that a particular mixer I got was good, but there was another brand that’s just as good but even cheaper. And he ran off to go grab it for me. Hells yeah!
They have a fantastic cider section. I am not a beer drinker myself, but do love an occasional hard cider. I have a couple favorites and Specs generally has them (though one is seasonal, boo).
I love the cash/​debit discount too.
Pretty sure I’m the Duchess of this Specs for the Unilocal check-​in app. Don’t judge.

Why am I always reviewing places that already have exactly 69 reviews? Well here we go again, I’m ruining it and will make it the 70^th.
I’ve been to all the Spec’s in the Austin area and I have to say this one is the scariest one of all. Its very tiny compared to the others, organized strangely… and not to mention somewhat in what I like to call the ghetto. It was also the most dead I’ve ever seen any Spec’s. It was 6:30pm on a Tuesday, isn’t everyone shopping for booze in times like these? Apparently not. The parking lot was empty, minus some guy who looked homeless hanging around outside. Some sketchy individuals in a huddle outside one car and little ol’ me in need of some wine. Maybe I’m just a paranoid individual. Never the less, this one is closest to my house so I suppose I’ll just have to live with this ghetto location.
Inside there were not as many people working to help you find an awesome new find. The selection was awkwardly in place, mixed up, and just lacking in mass quantities for that matter. I still however managed to find what I was looking for: Red wine… red wine… and more red wine. Hey remember that song from the early 90s where they sang about red wine? How awesome would it be if that were my ringtone?! It would be so fitting.
White wine is a no-​go for me, so trashy to me. White wine is for wussies, who lack any cojones. I normally can always tell if someone is a white or red drinker. I am a wine psychic. Don’t ever bring white wine over to my house as a gift and expect me to drink it. My own roommate got a white wine bottle at a white elephant xmas party last weekend and he THREW IT AWAY! HA! And that my friends, is why we are roommates.
Enough of my ranting. I walked out of there with an Andeluna malbec, a Bogle cab… and the cheapest midget bottle of wine I’ve ever seen. Thinking the cheaper wine has the worse hangover, right? Neh, not me. I don’t get wine hangovers. Thats just how I roll.
Thanks for always being there for me Spec’s. You’re so much better than Twin Liquors will ever be.