Last Wednesday, Fresno officially welcomed mega-wine retailer Total Wine & More to the Villagio shopping center on the southwest corner of Blackstone and Nees. Occupying the large, former Ethan Allen showroom, Total Wine & More brings to Fresno an unmatched selection of wines at prices as low as Costco, and with customer service that promises to be exceptional all around.
Like its name indicates, wine is the store’s main focus, however, the “more” is a fairly substantial array of wine accessories, beers (including a great selection of local, craft beers), liquors, cigars (in a walk-in humidor), snacks, and the widest selection of airline-style mini liquors I’ve ever seen.
What Makes Wine & More Different
Total Wine & More offers discounts beyond their regularly low prices when you purchase six wines, take advantage of their store loyalty program, or use their coupon specials (the current special, for example, is to get $15 off when you spend $100 on wine).
If you’re wondering how the store differs from say, BevMo, which is what I wondered prior to visiting on their media preview night last week, I’d say the selection, especially of wines, is quite a bit larger. There are aisles and aisles of wine.
Also, the prices are lower (my friend who attended with me and who has worked in the industry repeatedly had to pick her jaw up off the ground at the low prices on some of the wines, which were way lower than she’d ever seen on some typically high-priced bottles), and the customer service is more extensive. Employees at Total Wine & More regularly participate in wine classes, tastings, and even visit winemakers on site to learn more about the products they are offering to customers.
Oh, and did I mention they have wine tasting for customers several times each weekend, too?
Convenient Services & Investing in Local Arts
Additionally, Total Wine & More offers a few convenient services customers may really enjoy, too —especially those with busy schedules. Shoppers can opt to pre-order their items online and pick them up one hour later all boxed and ready to go. They can also take advantage of the rapid chiller which can cool a bottle of wine in as little as three minutes. Total Wine & More also offers keg service for large events and gatherings.
Finally, Total Wine & More also invests in the arts near each location. The Fresno store donated a portion of all sales made for its first four days of operation to the Fresno Art Museum, whose board members also enthusiastically attended the store’s media preview night.
So, what do you think? Will you be perusing the new wine lover’s paradise in north Fresno? Or sticking to your usual spots?
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