Saturday 6th of September 2008 07:08:52 PM

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This person needs 3 or more reviews on the site for their scores to start counting.

When I first started my craft beer journey a couple years ago, I soon discovered this place, which is located about 5 minutes from my house. It still has a decent selection (especially compared to other places in the area), but it has gone downhill quite a bit. Last few times I was in, I took note that the coolers which had previously been reserved for single bottles of imports and domestic craft beers were being infiltrated with the higher selling and faster moving macro swill.

As for service - In all the time, and over all the great beers I have bought there, I still have mixed feelings about the place. There once was a time when I was spending well over a hundred bucks a month in this store, almost exclusively on single bottles, yet the staff always treated me like I was a freak for doing so. I remember one time when I had 6 or 8 nice Belgian ales picked out and the cashier girl treated me like I was from Mars for buying beers that cost $3-$5 a piece. Not cool to treat customers bad for paying your store's prices. On the flip side, not long ago they were reducing and rearranging some stock and they put up an incredible sale on some world class beers. I picked up at least a dozen Gulden Draaks for $2 each and a bunch of Traquair House ales dirt cheap as well.

Bottom line, someone at some point had the right idea, but whoever is running the show now is not committed to good beers, or good beer drinkers.

Monday 26th of November 2007 11:39:35 AM

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T-Birds is located in an average strip mall, which has a street level sign that is a red & white octagon shape. It is carpeted inside, and there's a popcorn machine...maybe it used to be a movie theater?

Go all the way back to the coolers, and ye shall find all manner of chilled micro singles. Obviously we're not in Cook county anymore. Selection ranges from pretty random to quality imports, however "quality" itself is not a priority at this shop. Check all dates on bottles, because this place is a beer graveyard of sorts. Certain Belgians had faded labels *in the cooler*. How does that happen? You will find certain "aged" beers, but caveat emptor, seriously.

Singles are all clearly priced, there's no mix-a-six discount that i'm aware of, but there should be. Watch those dates. Register is ok, but hands-off everywhere else. Service is low because they don't rotate stock or get rid of expired beer. I'm not surprised, as their namesake is shared with a bum wine.