The new West Seattle Premier Liquor and Wine store opening on August. 31 at 10:00 am is a genuine departure from anything you've seen in a liquor store before. The 7000 square foot facility at 4100 s.w. Alaska Street features larger displays for many familiar brands but also has a variety of other products and displays that make it unique. You'll find, in addition to liquors and wines, a beer cooler, some high end liquors in a special display area, party supplies and even a tasting bar to be used for special events. The size of the store, as far as its floorspace goes is 45 percent larger than an average state store.

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It is clearly designed to be less "state run" and more "state of the art" with polished cement floors, dark wood trim and tasteful accents. The state is stepping up their game to stay ahead of the effort to privatize liquor sales and this store, among the 30 statewide getting a makeover, is proof that they've done their homework and put a lot of effort into making the store environment appealing.

One unique display houses a guitar from Sammy Hagar whose Cabo Wabo Tequila is sold there.

But the state went further to extend it's mission to educate the public too. On flat screen displays around the store they display television commercials but also educational material on everything from how to stock your bar to the benefits that the WSCLB provide the state in terms of revenue generation and public safety. They have " partnered with industry," said Pat McLaughlin, WSLCB Director of Enterprise, "and you'll see various commercials, that you might see on prime time television, providing product information on a multitude of items you might see in the store (…) We have an amazing product selection of spirit offerings with over 2000 items, If you want it we've got it here at the Premier Liquor and Wine store."

Washington State Wines are organized in a unique way, by geographic region rather than type.
You'll see Walla Wines, Yakima Valley Wines and others all with a map and numeric guide to show you the specific location the wine comes from. This can mean you'll see an $86 bottle of Leonetti Merlot directly above a bottle going for $7.99 but the net effect is that you learn more about the depth and variety of wine our state produces.

With 2000 products the store has spirits that range in price from a $1400 bottle of Louis 13th Cognac to a $4.99 bottle of Yellow Tail Chardonnay. Along the way you'll find mixers, drink extras like olives, many gift packs such as a unique wood aging cask for whiskey from Woodinville Whiskey.

There's an open beer cooler with a range of specialty beers and a wide range of Washington only products.

Steve Burnell, WSCLB Purchasing Marketing Manager also spoke about special orders. "We had a total of about 1100 special orders across the state last year, maybe because people don't know about it but we can get almost any product you might want through our special order program."

The store is among the first to feature a "spirit tasting bar" with the first one scheduled for Sept. 3, 2011 from 4 pm to 6pm featuring Mischief Whiskey. By law the tastings are limited to a total of four 1/4 ounce samples.

The store hours are Monday through Thursday 10:00 am to 9:00 pm, Friday and Saturday 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, and Sunday 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm.