Charles Liquors — Local services in Wilmington

Wow the first of the only 3 reviews I just read on this place couldn't have been more precise. The place is filthy inside and out. You get to smell the week old dumpster from the taco shack next door as you come and go after avoiding the one of three usual beggars that frequent the grounds. I don't know if they smoke tobacco or cannabis in the back room behind the register(and don't care bc I smoke both myself) But every time i walk into Charles's they have a stick of incense burning and you can't fool a seasoned smoker like me, i can tell they're smoking in there. And the most minimal of all the bad attributes i can put on Charles's Liquor is that they are outrageously overpriced. A pint of regular E&J Brandy there is $8.00! I pay $6.50 at Brookside Liquors off Marrows Road and 273. And once i bought a pint of Southern Comfort... $15.00! The only reason they have maintained business until now(To answer Kim R's question from their first review) is because of their location. I lived down on Maryland Ave. for this summer and Boxwood Liquor though just over a mile away from Charles's was always my first pick, but i don't own a car. So do you think anybody within a three mile radius of Charles's who has a car or a ride would actually choose to shop there when Boxwood is just a mile further? The only people who are shopping there probably 90% do not have a car, they're buying their alcohol there in small quantity, cheap quality and on a regular basis. I asked for a fifth(750ml) of brandy there once and the Indian guy had to get down on two knees and one hand he had to reach so low and so far back from under the counter and I literally had to blow the layer of dust off the neck of the bottle. So that tells me the customers who mostly come in aren't buying a bottle for the week they're buying anything between a shot bottle and a pint, or a single tall can of something. Plus you never see almost any cars parked there unless they're there to get tacos next door. So how are they in business? there's lots of crappy unkempt houses all around there, their customers are mostly all on foot, their customers buy cheap quality and cheap quantities of alcohol and they do so on a nearly daily basis. So all of Charles's business is from poor, broke, homeless alcoholics that can't walk to Boxwood because they cant walk that far, or they have arrest warrants and want to avoid the traffic, cops, spouses or family on Maryland Ave/Rt4, or they cant buy a 750ml for $20 but buy two tall beers and a shot bottle every day of the week for $5 so they don't want mama, wifey or probation officer to see them with a black bag with something bottle shaped in it. When those patrons are gone(and they usually don't live too long) hopefully Charles's and the Taco Shack I'm sure they rent space to will become a new establishment whom caters to individuals on a higher end of Wilmington's socioeconomic...

In the mornings, I usually see a couple of familiar faces — all polite and professional — and they’ve always been helpful with recommendations or ringing up items quickly when I’m in a rush. But what really inspired me to write this review is the recent change in the evening shift.

Over the past two months, I noticed a new gentleman working in the evenings. Since his arrival, the entire atmosphere of the store has noticeably improved. He’s incredibly friendly, respectful, and has a calm, welcoming demeanor that makes you feel appreciated as a customer. Whether you’re buying a single bottle or stocking up for the weekend, he greets everyone with a warm smile and genuine interest.

He’s also quite knowledgeable about the products and gives great suggestions without being pushy. I’ve found myself going in more often in the evenings simply because the experience is so pleasant. It’s rare these days to come across people who actually care about customer service, and his presence has truly elevated the store’s vibe.

If you’re in the area and haven’t checked out this liquor store yet, I highly recommend visiting, especially in the evenings. You might just find yourself wanting to stop by more...

Great little liquor store. You will not find the largest selection of anything here. There are however a great selection of what I would say the best and most popular items of now and those oldies that never go out of style. Open later then the LQ stores in the city. Clerks are friendly enough and helpful but not over baring and annoying. I am a new customer have purchased 2 times from here and plan on being a repeat customer especially since they have a great selection of hard seltzer and vodka...