Coastal Wine & Spirits — Local services in Branford

I'd like to begin by saying I've shopped at this store for years, and they have a great staff/management that have nothing to do with my 1 star review. My friend and I went to the store on 10/5/2014 at approximately 11:30am to get some beer for the upcoming football games. I had my dog with me, a 17lbs. Shih-tzu who has accompanied me to the store many times. On the way in, the dog peed a little bit on a poll outside (yes, outside) of building. An unidentified man began screaming at me "Oh yeah that's really f*ing nice having him piss all over the place!" I shrugged my shoulders and walked into the store. What was I going to do, I didn't want a fight over a tiny little squirt of dog pee. The man follows me through the door screaming, "How would you like it if I came into your house and pissed on your floor?!?" I felt kind of threatened at this point, as I had no idea who this person was. I turned and said, "Just back off man, alright?" He continued following me through the lobby into the main part of the store screaming at me. I turned and said, "Really, man? You're following me into the store over this?" I thought he was maybe some local drunk who hadn't had his booze yet or some kind of lunatic. In either case, my adrenaline is pumping at this point thinking that this person might try to attack me. He then yells amidst his ranting, "I'm the OWNER of this place! I own this whole plaza!!!" I could not believe that someone who owns a large plaza and liquor store in the community would behave like this, so I confirmed his identity as owner with one of the employees. Indeed it was him, Albert (I'll leave his last name out). I said, "Okay, I'll go buy beer elsewhere."

The guy owns several liquor stores in the state, and is menacing a customer without identifying himself over a tiny bit of dog pee outside of a building? He could've introduced himself and asked politely to not let that happen again if he had a problem, and I would've apologized and moved on. Instead he chased me into the store and made me feel like I was about to get into a physical altercation. You can all decide if you'd like to support a business owned...

I will never give this place my business ever again after te experience i had tonight i worked at this place for 5 years about 10 years ago ever since this place got sold to another owner and alot of key managers left due to different reasons this place has never been the same ive always shopped here spent alot of money here and tonight i arrived right around 745 not realizing they close at 8 had 2 very expensive bottle wines in my hand wanted to buy one more for a last minute gift for the holiday was gettn a very bad attitude from the new manger there and rushing me out giving me attitude for asking for one more minute when they weren't even closed yet without being rudely bothered rushing me out gave the bottles to him after he mad a rude remark under his breath as i told him nicely go f himself as i left you want bad service and rude people shop here if not go somewhere else its not and will never be the same...

I recently tried to return a $20 product that was spoiled. The manager on duty told me they have a receipt only policy for returns. This was the first I had ever heard and saw no such policy posting in the Branford store. Over the past few years I have spend thousands at Coastal supplying parties, building a bourbon collection, etc. Since the time I turned 21 (I am 41), I can count on one hand the times I have returned alcohol to stores - typically a corked bottle of wine. This has never happened to me. All returns were accepted without question.

On top of this, his rudeness and false quoting a law (stating ONLY with a receipt can a product be returned) were insulting. I did not feel valued as a customer who has been shopping there for years. In fact, I had purchased $175 dollars worth of product the evening I tried to return it. For a $20 product you are losing a...