E-Ville Spirits: Your Local Ellicottville Liquor & Wine Experts

Local

Jun 18

E-Ville Spirits, Liquors & Wines takes the corner liquor store concept to new heights. Opened 22 years ago by Buffalo native and long-time Ellicottville resident, Shannon Carscallen, E-Ville Spirits, located in its iconic building at 10 Monroe Street in downtown Ellicottville, is a store unlike any other. Its dedicated staff take an educational approach to hand-selling their expertly curated wines and spirits, leaving customers with confidence in their purchases.

EllicottvilleNOW caught up with Carscallen after the Father’s Day rush to discuss what’s new for the store and what products are hot for summer.

“I grew up in the industry,” explained Carscallen over the phone. “My dad used to own a liquor store in Buffalo,” she continued. “I was in sales and then I left sales because I had this great idea to open a liquor store in Ellicottville.”

Carscallen, who grew up skiing with her mother, jumped on the opportunity to move to the area. “When this idea came together, I said ‘I’ll do it, I’ll move there, no problem’,” she said. “I just love living here, the people are awesome; local support is great,” she shared. “So, my sister, my dad, and I found this great spot, and we did what we could and opened it up into a liquor store. We made it very unique and very homey and comfortable - that’s what we wanted, and I just sort of took it on as my own.” After learning the ropes from her father and sister, Carscallen set out traveling across the world to wine-growing regions in France, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Chile, and South Africa. “I’ve been all over the world for wine just to develop my palate and my knowledge, and the store stems from my experiences,” she said.

Her small staff of three is overseen by the store manager, Tanya, who, according to Carscallen, has a textbook knowledge of bourbons and whiskeys. “I have a great manager, Tanya, and a full-timer, Brandon, who I trained. He has become a wine connoisseur himself. These two run the show with me,” she continued, adding that she has a part-time sales associate, Nick, who rounds out the team. “They learned everything hands-on and through me. It’s my shop and I am very open to suggestions and ideas from them, so I really feel like it’s a team effort.”

But it is the educational component that really sets the store apart from the masses. Carscallen mentioned that her Bourbon Club, spearheaded entirely by store manager Tanya, now includes over 180 members. “It’s huge, and Tanya runs that herself,” she said. “[Tanya] knows her stuff and selects great bourbons for the club and the store.”

The popular Bourbon Club is free to join through the store’s website. Each quarter, a new bourbon is selected which members automatically purchase. The bottle is made available for delivery or held for in-store pick up. Additionally, Bourbon Club members will receive 10% off year-round on any bourbon purchase made in-store or online. “That’s a big perk,” Carscallen said.

On the wine side, Carscallen explained that she’s been hosting wine tasting classes with her customers for over ten years. “Once a month, I do free wine classes in my education room upstairs,” she said. “It’s every first Thursday of the month, and we we send out the class invitations by email, so if you want to join, give us your email - that’s the best way to know what is going on in the store.” Carscallen mentioned that they also promote their events via social media on the store’s Facebook page.

In addition to the successful Bourbon Club, Carscallen shared the news that her Wine Club has started again, led by staffer Brandon. According to the website, the Wine Club costs approximately $40 and includes a monthly newsletter, two specially selected bottles, and 15% off of regular priced wine in-store. Carscallen explained that there are different levels. Brochures available at the store detail the different categories. To enroll, simply join from the link on the store’s website.

As for what’s hot for summer, Carscallen predicts that the ever-popular categories of hard seltzers and bourbons will not go out of style anytime soon. “Seltzers like High Noon and Surfside - those are the most popular; we sell a ton of that stuff,” she said. On the bourbon side, she noted that they carry Bib & Tucker, and the tried-and-true bourbons, like Woodford, are high in demand.

E-Ville Spirits, Liquors & Wines is located on the corner of 10 Monroe Street and Hughey Alley. Hours of operation vary by season and are currently Monday through Thursday from 10:00am-7:00pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00am-8:00pm, and Sundays from 12:00-6:00pm. The full-service wine and liquor store offers online ordering with curbside pick-up and delivery options. Check out the store’s Facebook page for upcoming events and tastings. To join the Bourbon Club or Wine Club, click on the links under the Club’s tab on the store’s website at www.evillespirits.com. For additional information or to place an order, call 716-699-4474 during store hours.