Michael Towne Wines & Spirits — Local services in New York

My husband had an extremely disappointing and uncomfortable experience at this store. My husband went in to pick up a large order of Veuve cliquot that had been placed over the phone for a friend’s championship celebration. He provided his ID and credit card to the cashier without issue.

However, another man — who was supposedly the owner — repeatedly double-checked his credentials, even after they had already been verified by the cashier. This unnecessary and prolonged scrutiny made my husband feel not only racially profiled but also criminalized. When my husband politely asked why his ID and card were being checked again, the “owner” offered no explanation, the cashier seeing the tension and tried to mitigate it proceeded to say “there had been fraud in the past and he’s just being careful”. He then proceeded to ask if he had cash instead. If my card isn’t good, then my money shouldn’t be either, right?

Instead of addressing the concern respectfully, the so called owner dismissed my husband’s question, told him he could leave if he didn’t like it, and claimed he “knew everyone in the neighborhood.” He had no problem leaving. Why do business where your money isn’t wanted. It’s NYC, there are millions of wine and spirits stores. My husband left and was treated better at another establishment.

That kind of attitude is both unprofessional and unacceptable. Customers should be treated with courtesy, not suspicion or hostility. What should have been a simple purchase of high-end champagne turned into a humiliating and frustrating situation. Profiling and treating paying customers this way is unacceptable in 2025. We will never return, and we would strongly caution others about shopping here. Wish I could’ve given...

Terrible service!

I was there today 12/31/2021 at 14:06:55 PM the treatment was TERRIBLE!!!

The cashier (JW) he had bad aptitudes! we us with my mom and me OMG.

This cashier made me give him my back number of my credit card when I ask why it said for security. LOL NOBODY! had ever asked me in any country that I have visited this number for security they ask me to show my ID along with my credit card and verify that it is the same person.

I did not want to damage the line but I felt cheated with forcing me to give my number it was my second time there and never again

Then my mother paid 40 dollars to collect 30.47 with taxes and he wanted 40 cents, we did not have 40 cents and I told him, let him review and he did not want to charge. The cashier on the side threw him the 40 cents and he proceeded to collect but he did not take the 40 cents from the cashier on the side that is, he had money but he wanted to...

While I was happy with the large selection of wines offered, I felt cheated by the so-called bargain Michael Towne claimed to offer and with that in mind will not be returning. 20% off a case it said, and so I picked up two cases of wine and skipped on merrily to the cash register, eager in anticipation of the cash to be saved. However, upon arrival I was informed that the discount only applied to ONE out of the TWENTY-FOUR bottles in the two cases. Keep in mind that the bargain did not say it applied to select wines only, and that I don’t usually object to paying more for wine of quality(and quantity, in this case) But this deal, I felt, was misleading to the point that I felt the need to write this lengthy paragraph....