TOP SHELF SH*T…read more
Bolingbrook's premier liquor emporium has a huge selection and solid savings for members.
Binny's is part of the Promenade at the intersection of Boughton & Janes. There are dozens of Binny's across Chicagoland and this is the third one I've been to (after Elmwood Park and Willowbrook). The inside is cavernous; despite clearly posted signage, you still may need to ask for help, so unless you enjoy aimless wandering, don't be shy!
A 1.75L bottle of Russian Standard vodka was $30 (Binny's members save $5). They've got plenty of cordials and imported liqueurs like Italian limoncello, Greek ouzo, and sherry. There are entire aisles dedicated to whiskey, vodka, tequila (whoop there go my pants!), and gin. Wines are priced fairly and you could spend hours perusing the bins of red, white, and rosé.
On the right side of where you enter, there's a humidor filled with cigars. It's not always manned -- you'll need to ring a bell to summon a sales associate -- but Greg was patient while I made my choices. The humidor was stocked with a nice variety of Montecristo, Arturo Fuente, Romeo y Julieta, Oliva, lower-tier Cohibas and lots more.
They have a dizzying variety of craft beers and a wall fridge packed with cold cans, bottles, and mini kegs. I found a sweet 22oz'er of Sapporo (my 2nd favorite Japanese beer) alongside a 24oz Modelo picante. The beer prices aren't too bad, although you can find cases of domestics (Coors, Miller, Budweiser) for $1-3 less at CVS, Walgreens, and Meijer.
I was disappointed that not only did the store not carry Big Mich michelada mix, but the manager-looking type behind the counter flat out told me "he'd never even heard of it". Well pal, I got news for ya--Big Mich is *THE* best michelada mix on the market, and furthermore, THEY'RE CHICAGO-BASED! If Binny's stocked this local brand (and they absolutely should), I wouldn't have to venture out to a liquor store in the city to hunt it down.
* TL;DR *
This holiday season, why not get your relative a large bottle of alcohol? They probably need it.
Binny's is terrific when it comes to broad strokes, but finer details may require additional stops. If you're searching for something specific to a region or geographic area (like my Asahi Dry lager from Japan) you'd have better luck at La Fiesta Market (for Latinx stuff), H Mart (for Asian goodies), or other ethnic grocery store.
I saw a motto posted somewhere that said "if we don't carry it, it's not worth drinking!" While this is mainly true, and you can find the majority of things on Binny's shelves, no store is perfect and there's ~always~ room for improvement.
