Friday 4th of June 2010 06:10:15 PM

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2010:
Currently undergoing renovations... new store layout coming soon. Met Adam the beer guy, super helpful and knowledgeable.

11/09
This is still pretty much Sam's as far as selection and store layout goes. I noticed a few gems popping up here and there where there weren't any a few weeks ago. Nothing radically different as far as the beer aisle goes. Thankfully the cheese counter was still intact, and well appointed with bottles of La Bavasienne.

Hope they stock the cooler with more craft, that was the main thing about Sam's before that was lame (also the empty shelves). John the beer guy was on the floor helping out and answered my beer questions. Selection was good though I wonder how many dusty bottles are still lurking from Sams inventory (a lot). Noticed an endcap of Metropolitan, Half Acre, and Two Brothers, which was a good sign. Also another endcap of Christmas/holiday beers.

Checkout was friendly, and helpful. Hopefully the transition will be more complete in the future, and not just remain a re-branded Sams store.

Wednesday 24th of June 2009 10:41:24 PM

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At one time this was a must-stop place whenever I was in Chicago. It's location across from the original Goose Island pub makes it very convenient.

Now, with the expansion of Sam's into the burbs, I tend to hit the one in Downers Grove more often. Selections do differ between the two stores so the occasional stop here is still required to see if there's something new. Selection is fantastic and the knowledgeable staff are always around to answer any questions.

Pricing is fair but the County and City taxes can be painful.

Sunday 1st of July 2007 03:20:52 PM

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This place is the biggest beer/liquor store I have ever been to. Admittedly I have not been to a lot of the liquor chain stores, but I was impressed. The place has a sort of warehouse club feel to it. Cavernous is a good way to describe the interior.
As you enter and go to the right you encounter aisle after aisle of wines and liquor. To the left is the beers. They claim to stock over 500 beers and I don’t doubt it.
There is an aisle dedicated to imported beers, separated by style. Another aisle is loaded with craft beers from all across the country. They carry a very good selection of bombers, singles and sixes. On this trip I did not make it to see their selections in the cooler.
I saw many beers from brewers I had never heard of. This place could easily keep anyone who reviews beer busy for quite awhile.
There was a Sam’s employee who sort of hung around in the beer aisle to see if he could help you find any particular beer or style. He seemed to know his stuff.
I will be back and plan to spend a little more time going through their stock more thoroughly.
09/15/2006

Wednesday 21st of March 2007 08:34:32 AM

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Sam's is a great place to stop by when you're looking for some beer. The location is perfect, since it is right beside the original Goose Island brewpub (Goose Island - Clybourn).

Sam's is a big store. They are primarily focused on wine and liquor, but there is a long row dedicated to craft beer and imports. If a beer brand is coming into the city, you can definitely expect for Sam's to get it. Although, because of the popularity of Sam's, the bigger labeled beers seem to disappear from the shelves quickly.

The service here is helpful when you seek it out. They are normally friendly and helpful. The beer guys are usually very interested in craft beer themselves and it shows in how they are willing to look for new items for the shelves.

Sam's is a three or four block walk from the North/Clybourn Red line stop. Sam's has a good sized parking lot for their customers. There is also a cheese/deli section in the back if you want something to accompany the beers you've purchased.