| Hello Free Rangers, As I was writing that last e-mail (two e-mails ago, now), on an otherwise quiet Monday evening, we had a string of people going out of their way to break every rule we have in here. At one point, a new customer came into the shop, asked about vodka, and I showed her to the section, and pointed out a couple of our favorites. Without responding, or even looking in my direction, she picked up her cell phone and made a call. As I attempted to ask her to please observe our posted no cell phone policy, which she also ignored, a long time regular customer came in, and seemed to notice the issue we were dealing with. I left Derek to try and talk to the woman, and I went to greet our “friend” and see what I could help him find. As I approached, he retreated back to stand in front of the fridge, opened the fridge door halfway, read the largest of the three signs out loud: “Do not stand here, huh”, then proceeded to open the fridge further, pull out a bottle of rosé (which I am certain he’s had before), hold it up, and ask, without the slightest soupçon of irony, “How is this?” “Are you kidding me right now?” was the only intelligible sentence I could get out of my body without raising my volume considerably, on my way out of the room. I returned after he’d left, and I apologized to Derek for leaving him in the moment, explaining that if I had stayed I would’ve yelled at the guy. Derek said that he was ready to yell right back, having opined loudly that he expected better customer service here, because he had been a customer for so long. What’s really being said in this sort of scenario is: “my money means I can treat you poorly.” That does not fly in here. I’ve spent most of my life making less money in deference to integrity and self-respect, and that won’t change. I used to get fired a lot. What I didn’t have the composure to explain- and he clearly wasn’t interested- is that most folks who have been coming to our little shop for a number of years tend to feel a kinship with us, and want to respect our rules, and make our lives a little easier when they can. It’s been my experience that those who invoke “the customer is always right” know damned well they’re being difficult, and believe their cash allows it. I left the room to calm myself down 3 times in six customers, that day, in a stretch of 30 minutes. This was the moment that Derek and I decided to change our policy to pick-up/delivery only Mon-Thurs, and we’re sticking with that, at least through February. CURRENT SHOP HOURS: Monday – Thursday is pick-up only (order online), and regular (pandemic) in-store shopping hours Friday – Sunday: 1 – 8pm. Delivery is available every day, within five blocks of the shop, with a minimum purchase of $50. If you’d like to make an appointment for in-store shopping Mon-Thurs, you can do so on the front page of our website: www.FreeRangeBrooklyn.com I know we just did a tequila sale, but we tend to go with the very best deal we can offer each week, and plague year has made yet another super rarity much more available to us than ever before. Corazon produces fairly solid tequila at their intro level, but their top of the line Expresiones series is truly excellent. Each is aged in a different Buffalo Trace/Sazerac whiskey barrel, and our very favorite is aged in Thomas Handy Rye barrels- a whiskey so rare we’ve never actually been able to purchase a single bottle through the proper channels. Usually a very limited release, we’ve hoarded up a sizeable amount of Corazon Expresiones Anejo Thomas Handy Rye Cask Finish, and the new release just became available. And as we like to do, when the opportunity presents itself, we’re spreading the wealth on this one to the tune of $30 off per bottle! (!) click here to add a bottle plus coupon code (!) Corazon Anejo Thomas Handy Cask Sale: $89 Retail: ** This week only, as supplies last! ** * No other discounts apply.* Cheers, Jack Proprietor Free Range Wine & Spirits P.S. Free Range E-mail Archive |
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