Village Bottle Shoppe

Great selection, friendly staff minus the manager Donna. I called in about a month ago asking if they received any Three Floyd’s beer. Donna answered and gave me a quick NO, and hung up before I could say thank you. That evening I was in W Lafayette anyway and decided to stop by and pick up something other than Three Floyd’s. When I arrived, I went ahead and asked the employee’s if they received any Three Floyd’s that day, and they said yes, we have a few different kinds. This made me wonder if the manager just wanted to get me off of the phone earlier that day.
Yesterday, I called in and Donna answered. I asked if they received any Three Floyd’s. She responded with a quick No, and again hung up the phone. I did not believe her so I made the 15 minute drive over the river to find out for myself. When I walked in I asked one of the regular employees who noticed me and before I could ask he said, hey man we got some Three Floyd’s in today… I noticed that Donna was still there stocking wine. After checking out, I confronted her and explained I was upset that she was short with me over the phone on both occasions. This was a mistake! For the next 5 minutes she got defensive and loud. She was practically yelling at me (maybe she’s just a loud talker), in front of her employee’s and other customers. She stated over and over that she has been the manager for 17 years (that really showed). Also, that she was not feeling well and that she was stocking wine shelves when I called. Also, she told me that AT LEAST 10, TEN PEOPLE, call per week asking if they received Three Floyd’s beer. I understand this beer is intermittently delivered and it’s not their fault, but they keep the stuff hidden in the back so you have to ask one of the employee’s if they received any that week. Customer/​Employee interaction is required if you would like Three Floyd’s. Anyway, this is not why I confronted her. After 17 years of experience, I would think she would handle my complaint more professionally. After getting yelled at for 5 minutes and was barely able to get in a sentence of my own, I shook my head and walked out vowing never to return to that store.
It gets better… Half-​way home I get a call from VBS on my cell phone. I think to myself, maybe she is calling to apologize for treating me so poorly. WRONG! Somehow they «butt-​dialed» me and when I answered I sat there and listened to her berate me to her employee’s. Mentioning how I would not get Three Floyd’s anymore (i took this as I was put on some sort of black list at the store). Also saying how I think she’s a Three Floyd’s nazi (soup nazi), while laughing to her employee’s about me. The line was disconnected, so I called back and told her that I just heard everything she was saying about me. She said «So?», and continued to tell me that she has managed that store for 17 years and continued to be defensive and not let me get a word in. That was the end of any of my future dealings with VBS. I’ve never came across an «experienced» manager who treated a loyal and frequent customer so poorly.

I was looking for a whiskey to buy for my in-​laws from out of town to take back with them. I did a bunch of research on whiskey via google and such and had an idea of what I wanted. When I stopped into this place and talked to one of the sales staff I didn’t tell them what I knew and let them do their thing. They were right on the mark, everything I read on the net was pretty close to what they were saying. There were a few brands they recommended that I didn’t find in my research but in they end they picked some winners. The inlaws got the bottles back home and shared them with some friends and said they were excellent examples of Good American whiskey.
Thanks to the VBS!!!

This place was a nice find on our quest to get some good craft beers in the area. While I was somewhat taken aback by the brewers they were lacking, they had a nice selection of stuff. I ended up supporting the homeland with a Sprecher sample 8-​pack. Some of the craft beer 6-​packs here were a bit spendier than I’m used to, which was surprising.
The Bottle Shoppe is a large store with a lot of wine and cheap domestics, but the craft beer selection isn’t bad and apparently this is one of the better spots around Lafayette to get it. The dudes running the place were friendly and helpfully pointed us towards where we could get some firewood for our campfire. Cheers!

Every so often I go into a store that gives me child-​like fits of inappropriate giggling, and a lot of ‘look at this!’ and makes me start fierce negotiations with my inner practical-​self because I do really *need* what I’ve just picked up.
Village Bottle Shoppe West is my local Wonderland.
When you enter, you see the wine specials area ahead — now, you know from my reviews that I’m really into my beers, but I love good wine and champagnes as well. I’m just really picky about them. Really *really* picky! Thankfully the store manager is as well!
Whether you love ice wines, sweet wines, semi-​sweet wines, dry wines or (like me) wines so rich with tannins that it’ll bring a tear to your eye as you sip them with a winter snack by a fireplace, they likely have what you’re looking for. If they don’t have a champagne or wine you’ve been searching for, they’ll likely have one similar to it, or be able to order it for you.
If I’m in a pickle and not sure what wine will go with my dinner, I know if the manager is in I can ask her, tell her what I tend to like for styles/​flavor profile and she’ll come up with a few bottles from different price ranges to suggest. If there’s anyone more enthusiastic about wine, I haven’t met them in person yet. =)
One of the best parts of the wine section is the wine tasting bar. 4 taps, usually 2 reds and 2 whites. There’s usually 1 – 2 very current trendy styles, and 1 – 2 wildcards thrown in. Yesterday we picked up a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon for $ 10, with a tannin and fruit profile so rich that it would make your ancestors cry with joy.
They have a special wine room for the really exquisite bottles, we do peek in there sometimes, but generally our preference is for old world reds, and they have us perfectly covered.
Their liquor section is very beefy as well. From the newest liquor trends to a beefy selection of Irish and other whiskeys (can you see where my bias is? My Irish eyes smile!) you can probably find what you need here. Some of the less in vogue spirits are in shorter supply, but the classics are very well represented. Haitian rum anyone? You have a choice here =)
And the best is last. the beer.
Multi packs of craft beer, with a healthy emphasis on our wonderful Indiana breweries but many other countries and states also represented. The non refrigerated craft beer section is a joy — and while the selection and floor space is not like stores in larger cities, it’s extremely well chosen.
Other usual things you’d expect, good gift packs near important holidays, some glassware, and a nice selection of bitters (the typical, and things like orange and rhubarb depending on the season).
There’s a lot of beers, wines and spirits that I have had the opportunity to try only because Village Bottle Shoppe West had them. Though my husband and I still road trip and pick up beer and spirits that VBS doesn’t have when we’re in larger metro locations, this is our Local Libations Store (LLS) and we love them (and so will you!)

If you’re in Laf/​WLaf and need or want craft beer in bottles, this VBS location is the place to get it. It’s the largest of the several stores, and thus has the best craft beer selection.
They have a lot of singles cold, quite a few multipacks cold, and a supplemental selection of singles and multis not cold.
No matter what style you’re looking for, they’ll have 2 – 3 that fit the bill, from the top craft breweries available for distribution in Indiana. We don’t have the best distribution, but VBS gets the best of what is available.
Prices are good, staff is friendly, and they are of course also a full liquor store as well.
They actually specialize in wine at this location and their wine selection and knowledge is fantastic.
Hard liquor selection is very good as well.