original review date: march 8, 2018 review edit add-on: november 11,2021 photo add-ons: november 11,2021; august 29, 2022 this review is specifically for the barton/elgin store in hamilton, ontario. over the past few years there has been new management (shout out to manager ryan from 2018 ) that has stepped in and cleaned house. what you have today is a solid roster of hard working staff that do their best to get orders filled accurately and efficiently in a polite and friendly manner. TBS is definitely a hard place to get permanent f/t as it can take many years. the payoff if achieved is worthwhile (a steady f/t schedule and great union pay) and i appreciate that the f/t staff continue to work hard even after they have secured their f/t spot. with some of the the north end's finest riffraff customers, it's not easy to maintain composure at all times, yet the staff here, again, do the best they can. my only critical comment here is that at times barton/elgin could be better staffed. TBS, we all know you can afford the labour costs. so staff properly especially when you know its going to be busy! some may say that the beer sales model in ontario needs to be opened up. TBS by no means is perfect, but i will support honest working f/t employed people that make a good wage over buying beer at the supermarket. review add-on, november 11,2021: tbs@barton/elgin continues to provide great customer service. although i no longer can drink beer due to health issues, i do come here to return empties. a big shout out to store worker cody for taking a few moments on his coffee break outside, to explain to me what's been happening at the store. congratulations cody on catching a full time position and wishing you and the staff all the best!

I love this beerstore can always be sure to catch a show while you wait for your beer. The drama is strong in this beerstore. The staff are the best and put up with so much bull bullsheet I admire they're resilience in the face of Hamilton's street crowd that lines up every morning to cash in the empties the scoured the city for. This I dont understand they will go out and walk around all night to look for empties but if you just worked for a few hours a day would make sooo much more and build credit get paid bi weekly so you dont spend it every day. The only thing I can come up with is a lot of tw want to be high all night and I guess make a little bit of pocket money whole your doing it. Obviously not all of them do this but a lot do. Never had an issue with the staff accept the security guard from a couple years ago tried to say I stole my beers that were on the counter which caused me and some of the staff who see me every day to snap on him. Like what I went bèhind the counter then waited there to pay for the beer I just supposedly stole. So then after he realized he looked lile an idiot he tried to grab said beers off me and said well you've already been 9n here today so I'm going to have to confiscate the beers I laughed this off and asked him politely if he would like to walk outside to see if he was going to try and touch products I just purchased. I let him know peioŕ to that that if he tries to touch them I will take that as a sign of aggression and attempted theft and will act accordingly. He decided against this and called the police instead lol. They also laughed thos off and asked if I would list go home I obliged. Headless to say he ended up being fired by them for harassing a paying customer

Update, previous guard is gone, staff much better though tbh I don't feel much would get done if things got really bad. Neighbourhood very sketchy and you'll be in line with some hacking wackos, so wear a mask even if they cure all but one virus in the world. LOL. Some customers probably still have the black plague and they always stand too close and lecture you on something idiotic, like why you're wearing a mask - when surrounded by hacking ppl who haven't washed in decades! Service fast and mostly friendly, sometime a bit curt but that's likely to do with how many wackjobs are in the store - sometimes you get lucky and it's empty but usually there's a line and often only one cashier cos the other is handling empties. Jerks try to cut lines by walking to the wrong side of the store for line-ups, so signage needs improving, and nobody stops them so be ready to speak up for yourself even vs ppl so drunk they shouldn't be sold alcohol at all. 3 stars for good, fast service; loses points on safety, customer security, and failure to control pervy, obtrusive, and obnoxious "clientele".

I usually go to this beer store drive-to buy my beer as it is more convenient and faster than going inside the store to buy my beer. Most of the staff that work the drive thru were polite and proficient. Recently I noticed that there is a new lady employee working there being rude and insulting to me as if I had done something wrong to her. I regularly use the drive - thru to purchase my beer and most of the employees working there were very friendly dealing with me. But this lady who were a new addition to the employees I guess, was abit hostile dealing with me for no apparent reason. I was tempted to hit back at her insult but I hold back myself because I was thinking she might be having a bad day or just hated people like me for whatever reasons. I will be back there again to get my beer and I hope she's not around there to hand me my beer, but if she's around I will make sure that I have my videos on so that I can record every insults that she hurls at me.

The screens via which one can browse for beer were all down, and from my understanding usually are. So we did not know until the high-pressure situation of the front of the line that they were sold out of what we wanted. So the clerk was thus forced to make best-guess recommendations on the spot, and we were forced to make a quick, non-optimal decision based on pretty much no information. So. If your system is consistently down, consider having a print catalogue or posters on hand to browse through, or bring in extra staff to field questions and make suggestions before people wait in line for something they may not be getting. Our clerk did their best for us, but the company can do better.

One of the few drive through beer stores around. The drive through staff is super nice and friendly but unfortunately your lazy butt has to walk inside for returns, haha! I love it because they have a ton of selection and don't see to be out of stock of things when other branches are. Great job guys! Keep up the good work, I'll be back! Clean driveway and staff helps any way they can, probably the best thing to come to beer since it's invention.

I have aproblem with a place of business that calls them selves a store when you have to line up to place your order then wait for someone to go all the way to the wharehouse to get it.that is why I buy most of my beer at the LCBO it is more efficient than the beer store.i don't know why they have a monopoly to sell beer in this Provence . obviously big business rules.

Understaffed, long line-ups & just a very poorly managed store. Worst store in all of Hamilton. Exterior lights on building & in the parking lot are on 24 hours a day. Use a timer & save some money on hydro & put another employee to work to speed up the purchasing process. So glad I have moved out of that area & can now go to a location that is managed much better!

Very friendly I went through their drive through I asked for one thing and I got something different we almost drove away but decided to take a peek in the bag and I'm so glad I did cause it wasn't the beer u asked for but they were very cool about and replaced it right away with what I originally asked for

I usually only come to this location if I absolutely need to. Seems there’s always a line up when I go. It’s also one of the dirtier locations with what can feel like a sketchy parking lot. The main benefit of coming to this particular store is the vast selection and relatively pleasant staff.

Just wanted to acknowledge a security guard named Ryan. He goes above and beyond to help customers with heavy loads, unlike most security guards. Ryan is guaranteed to greet you with a friendly conversation, making the much needed cold ones at the end of the day less stressful to buy!

This is actually the perfect place during the coronavirus pandemic, a drive thru beer store, keep a thing of hand sanitizer in the car and you are good, the only place I've ever seen where someone will put beer into your car! No other drive thru beer stores anywhere near here.

The Beer Store is The Beer Store. I use the drive thru regularly. The employees are always friendly. They try to make conversation with the little interaction time there is. It's one of the few places that have drive thru and its convenient. The 5 stars are for the employees.

Staff are terrific here and HUSTLE. Good assortment of beer and a drive through as well. Always busy when I go. And loud because of all the people doing returns here. Some customers are on the sketchy side but I've never had a problem with anyone and security is on site

This beerstore is ok to buy but not return and its not the welcoming beerstore when securtyguard gives everyone dirty looks when walk in like we just got out of the jail across the street centemall beerstore is better atleast thay let u use blackbins for beercans lol

Unpleasant experience service today at returns I told the lady how much and the lady goes and Recounts my empties I counted my empties before I came to the beer store I had a big garage bag and lady was so rude and mean to me she an attitude on her.

Mostly good service at this Beer Store location. The in and out speed is about what would be expected. Being a larger Beer Store they have a good cold selection available. If only they gave frequent flyer miles or something.

It's a large store but you can't grab your beers and go the register and pay . You have to order it fron cashier and the bring from the back. Also have a drive up window and a separate spot for buying kegs.

Pretty good location. Although strangely I've had more cases with this location of showing up and they're closed for some reason/emergency. It could be that I come here more often than other locations.

Slowest beer store in the city. The staff are the best, just not enough of them. With the money the store rakes in, add a body. I know this is the hubb of the north end, but clean it up.

These reviews are B.S this is my neighborhood beer store if you don't mind waiting 5 min per person and being bullied by security wannabes be careful don't look at security no No NO. ...

Hate it, only beer store where you need a loonie to use a cart to return empties, then long line ups with too many people buying single cans and trying to count change to buy the cans

I went in, ordered and paid for four beers and got three. Didnt see until I got home and didn't answer phone when I called to clear up the problem. I called three sepreate times.

Staff are always smiling and happy even after a customer gave them a hard time, call them very disgusting comments to the staff and still served that rude customer with a smile!!

Great selection of beers most of the time however lost stars just because of where it's located too many meth heads etc in the area all begging for yer change other then great

Worst thing about this place is the people who go there! I've never been dissatisfied with any employee but I've encountered my fair share of rowdy, disrespectful customers.

Drive-thru never consistently open but when it is it is good fast and efficient definitely do not go into the location would spend 20 minutes waiting to purchase your item

Reason for low rating is because I called today to find out if they were open or not, instead I get answered by a FAX machine screeching into my ear.... not happy at all.

Very convenient beer store. Has a drive through option. You definitely have to know what you want because there is no menu at the drive through to make your selection.

Awesome,after looking at pictures of my birth place from 1963 home of the best beers in the world its nice to be alive and having a beer in my hand and not a gun

It has beer. the staff are very nice, and they seem to be able to keep the smell of empties at a minimum. Also, I have never had to wait in line very long.

super nice lady's who provide super nice service very polite and professional and beer always nice and cold but only beers because lady's are hot!!!!!!!!!

No problem with the staff or product just this location is a bit sketch. Whoever thought to put the beer store across from jail should have thought again.

Top notch professionals. Load your beer order of kegs with a forklift. Will always help... been here many times over past 5 years. Never a bad experience

Is there any logic behind the way that products are arranged in a store? Bottles of a brand and cans for the same product are in the opposite corner.

Best service I have ever had from the beer store! Ryan the manager was friendly, and hustled! Give that man a raise! I’ll never go any where else.

quick and efficient with beer can counts and friendly service never had where i thought id get one amount but somehow it was less always on point

Well organized store, good selection of beer. Great service and overall clean location. Very efficient for bottle and can returns. Check it out!

The only drive-in beer store I have come across between central Toronto and Hamilton! it is convenient location and easy parking or drive thru.

Went to this Beer Store several times to pick up Olde English. The staff is really nice and helpful. The drive through is pretty fast as well.

Not a good place to take returns. But a good and convenient place for purchases, and you can see online what beer there is in stock.

Still the only one I have been to with the convenience of drive thru especially coming from Toronto. Also fast friendly and prompt.

There is usually only one person working the counter and going back to get your beer. On top of that there's always a huge line.

Location has pretty much everything you'll need. Fast service. It seems a little small. Lots of security so it feels very safe.

Up to 3 Pokemon spawn at a time here, but no PokeStops or Gyms. The store could benefit from more staff during busy periods.

Has a drive thru. Inside is quite the show on a Friday night. The only beer store I know of with 2 working security guards.

Friendly staff and efficient service. I rarely go to the Beer Store (more my husband’s domain). Was pleasantly surprised.

I use the drive through sometimes and that is very convenient. Other than that it is a normal Beer Store. Prompt service.

Great staff and you have the luxury of being lazy as it has a drive through so you don't need to get out of your car.

Great return process, super fast and nice staff. Stick to this location if you have no reason to be standing around!

It's the beer store how am I not going to like it, besides that this is the only location to have a drive thru

Can't go here when it gets dark on foot. And we have nothing in cork town. Would like if the location moved

Such a nice setting inside and I believe they sell coolers now. And this one has the drive thru one.

Usually not too busy for Beer can returns and the staff has always been helpful and friendly to us

Sometimes they don't seem to have enough staff. No one should have to wait 20 mins. To be served.

This beer store has a drive thru and they even put the case in your car for you. Great service.

Really handy to have the drive thru option where they'll load your order into the car for you.

What can you say about the beer store in Ontario they're nice they're clean people are nice

We were very pleased with the beer we got from the beer store.. way to go guys.. good job

Good customer service in a convenient location. Products are always cold, I recommend it!

I like the drive through option here. And the staff is friendly, professional and quick.

Retuned bottles and cans purchased a case of 24 very well organized and friendly staff

Love it there staff is very friendly, especially Andy. Awsome service and very quick

they don't have what you want when you want it and the wait times can be ridiculous

Friendly and fast service, just like the one in Upper James and Fennell! …

It was very busy cause of Canada day weekend but staff were busy trying there best

Excellent service and very polite staff . Always go the extra mile for customers

Fantastic staff. We trouble shooter the order of Beer through the App together.

People walk there nice people that they're sure it's brand new is good there

Quick and easy! Security on some days, mostly at end of month pay dates

All the girls upfront are so amazing and willing to make suggestions!

Great service here and friendly Not too busy for the most part Clean

Fantastic staff, very friendly and always puts you in a better mood.

All kinds of beer for everyone's needs. Fast service friendly staff

Fast service, great staff and social distancing measures in place

My visit was fast and professional the staff their was awesome.

I love this location especially since they have a drive thru

My husband go there after the parade and lunch in the park.

Just great people and very helpful when I had a broken leg

Been there many times and always received good services.

Great tasting beverages. Staff are polite and friendly.

Typically busy but the stuff are helpful and efficient

Never have to wait long for beer, this is a good thing

Nice people over there and good customer service

Great drive thru service! Best staff in town!

I went to drop off some can for return etc.

It's were you get beer. 100 out of 5 stars.

Drive through with dog treats? Yes please!

Lots of homeless Great service though

Always there when I need a drink. :)

Variety of beers with short queues

Great friendly service!!!!

Drive thru is convenient

Quick friendly service.

Fast and efficient

Judgemental staff

Great service :)

Great. People

Always great@

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