It's become something of a tourist attraction and one need only walk through the front door to understand why.
Since Best Cellars House of Spirits began serving customers on June 19th, 2017; customers have been delighted by the quality and variety of items offered. Moreover, the store itself possesses a character and beauty that residents are eager to show off to visitors.
On Aug. 17, a robust and enthusiastic crowd was on hand for Best Cellars-House of Spirits Grand Opening. Those in attendance had the chance to view the unique brands of liquor, gift-ware and clothing available at Best Cellars, while they were also able to sample some of the beverages and other products that the store carries.
During the presentation, Alan Batters and Susanne Andres were thanked for “taking a leap of faith and opening the best looking private liquor store in the province on Main Street Kipling” and were praised for being “great corporate and community citizens.”
Mayor Buck Bright was on hand to congratulate the owners and staff of Best Cellars on their Grand Opening. He noted that: “A town will only prosper because of the actions of its people. It's our citizens that make Kipling the community that it is.”
That community extends far beyond the boundaries of Kipling. In her remarks, Andres noted that “Our vision is for Best Cellars to be a boutique-style store that is focused on the community.” That vision includes a commitment to feature “a variety of products that are made in Saskatchewan”.
Products made by Living Sky Winery located near Perdue, SK are just some of these unique, locally sourced products that Best Cellars has to offer. Sue Echlin (co-owner of Living Sky Winery) notes that having their products featured in a location like Best Cellars is a great benefit for them: “We very much want to have our products in stores like Best Cellars. Because we are a small company based in rural Saskatchewan...we often find that customers in rural stores really appreciate what we're trying to do. We also suspect that there are situations where the 'Big Guys' might under-serve a smaller rural community. So, we see this as a wonderful opportunity to reach out to communities like our own.”
This ability to see the opportunity that exists in smaller community was – and is – the philosophy that is the foundation for Best Cellars.
As Andres remarked, “Many who have seen the store say that it looks like it belongs in a big city and not in Kipling. Our response is...'Why not Kipling?' This is where we live... and a great community deserves a 'best effort.'”
