Observations on New Hampshire state liquor stores

[David M. Bueker]

So Laura and I went to Maine this past week, and on the drive we went by multiple NH state liquor stores. There are numerous tales of how wonderful they are (selection, prices), but after visiting two, I will say that my impressions are as follows:

1. The stores are dimly lit and dirty
2. The selections are largely pedestrian - Total Wine is far superior
3. Pricing is mediocre at best, and in some cases substantially overpriced
4. Service is non-existent
5. The shelves have lots of empty space, making a mediocre selection look even worse
6. The Champagne selection is atrocious. Moët and Veuve must pay to keep other wines out
7. I wouldn’t drink 99% of the Pinot Noirs they stocked

Overall I can get better selection, pricing, service and overall buying experience at almost any good wine shop. I am once again thankful that Table & Vine is 20 minutes from my house.

In general I agree with you, though in the (distant) past I got some great prices n Trimbach CFE. I think they have decent low margin early pricing on Bdx futures, but really it's a big liquor store. I really only know the stores on 95 between MA and ME.

[David M. Bueker]

One of the two stores had CFE. The pricing was higher than Table & Vine which is nowhere close to WineSearcher low.

As a NH resident I frequent the state liquor stores a lot. They are the only game in town for hard liquor and NH has very few independent wine shops. I generally agree with Dave's observations, especially when it comes to the smaller stores. The one in Merrimack--my home town--for example. Nashua (just south of Merrimack) has two of the larger stores, one at exit 6 on US rte. 3 (aka the Everett Turnpike) and one on Daniel Webster Highway in South Nashua, next to the Pheasant Lane Mall and just over the Massachusetts border. These two have a wider selection than most of the state liquor stores.

Single-malt Scotch is one of the strong points of these two stores.
Champagne, as Dave points out, is decidedly a weak point. So is fortified wine (Port, Sherry).

The empty shelf space problem first cropped up when Covid hit. It's gotten better but the state liquor commission still has a bad supply chain problem. No idea why.

Wine aficionados in southern NH can definitely do much better in Massachusetts.

-Paul W.

[David M. Bueker]

Nashua is one of the stores we stopped at. Better (and cleaner) than the one with it's own exit off 95, but not appreciably so.