Mecklenburg County ABC Store

I love the location. It’s tucked away and not easily spotted, so when I make my weekly libation run, I’m in an out in a few minutes. Most days by the time I make my vodka selection and walk up to the counter, there is no one in front of me.
This is around 11am (yeah, I get started early but you would too if you had my job) so I’m not sure how crowded it does or doesn’t get in the evening when other functioning alcoholics go in to grab their nightcaps.
I wish the selection was larger, but it’s a small store. Usually when I’m looking for something in particular, I go to one of the other ABC stores in the area with more square footage.

This liquor store is tucked away behind some trees, so if you’re coming down WT Harris and din’t know what to look for you could drive right past it! The store isn’t huge but has a good selection of anything you could want. The prices are reasonable and they do some specials once in a while on certain items for the month. The staff working here have always been friendly and helpful when needed.
The last time I went here they were doing a little bit of remodeling — not sure why — all you need is shelves (check) and liquor on said shelves (check).

Phew, this place was hard to find. I was tearing down WT Harris at a mind-​bending 40 mph (yay, traffic) and didn’t see it in time. Not my fault though, trees have gone up in front of the distinctive red-​and-​white ABC Store sign so it isn’t visible until you have passed the turn-​off. Sneaky. I doubled back through a strip mall and, with a few questionably legal detours, found my way back to the store. I was glad to see that it hasn’t been renovated into one of those depressingly cheerful corporate boxes. I enjoy metal bars and neon signs in my liquor store windows. It feels much more authentic.
So I saunter in, supercool. Nod to the clerk, «Ma’am». But she calls me «sweety»; my supercool bubble is burst. If I’d been close enough she would have pinched my cheeks. I fumbled around the store for a few minutes, trying to remember what I had wanted. She managed to call me sweety another half dozen times, tearing down my manly ego with each motherly drawl. Finally, reduced to a mere shell of a man, I dragged my purchases across her counter and skedaddled.
4 stars for the human encounter. No demonizing preacher here, like at other ABC stores, hatefully judging my purchases. This woman obviously enjoyed a touch of the giggle water from time to time. I appreciate that.