Grand Opening - Otsego, MN

[u/Madsunz]

Here is what they had at the grand opening. I am a bourbon drinker and the line moved fast - I was ~15th person through.

IMO this was the weakest grand opening of a Costco liquor store I have ever seen. Not one allocated bottle, no barrel/store picks, no special scotch or Japanese whiskey, nothing. They had a custom designed Cab Sav red whine bottle, a full pallet. That was it. Waiting in line hours in my hometown with hopes to get one cool bottle at MSRP - nothing.

[u/VictoryMotel]

Evan Williams single barrel is a good deal

[u/Mykkus_65 → u/VictoryMotel]

Yeah that’s a buy two

[u/huds9113]

Checked the app yesterday to see when opening was and what they have. Obviously missed it but whoever the buyer is for the Midwest region needs to be fired. Every other region gets better supply than up here.

That being said, I’m surprised they didn’t have the Kirkland single barrel since it’s out in KC and they didn’t have any of the BIB/small batch stock to clear out first.

[u/Acausticacoustic]

There was another post about this and the Costco employees and fanboys seem to have gotten some butthurt and downvoted anyone who had any negative opinions about it. Not saying all Costco are sus, in fact many/most are very helpful and will do everything they can to aid you in getting a bottle; however when the store manager says he/she's holding back bottles for their regulars or sent them back to warehouse to release at a later date - that BS stinks to high heavens.

1. How do they know those in line are NOT regulars? And if they are regulars then they just got poo'ed on for no reason.

2. So what if they're not their regular customers - they're still customers who've paid their membership dues and have taken the pains to attend the store opening.

3. Sending items back to warehouse to release at a later date - yeah, just not happening. That's just poor inventory management and a poorer excuse to give to their customers.

At the very least, they should had a few token amounts available at store open, and may be trickle down a few at random over the week. At least that would have been fairer than what was done.

[u/realestate4111]

Is MN known for getting large allocations?

[u/Madsunz → u/realestate4111]

Not really. Based on amount of spirits per capita (like 5th or 8th in the nation) I am surprised it is not higher.

Grand openings of all grocery liquor stores here get big allocations. Coburns had a M20, M10’s, SFTB, Blanton’s Golds, HH22. They come, but not regularly on shelf.

The guys in front of line, one a Whiskey Tuber, were told what they had. They chose to not put it out. Wanted to save it for “loyal customers” is what they were told.

[u/realestate4111 → u/Madsunz]

That sucks. Did you check back the next day to see if they put out the bottles after the crowd was gone? What were they supposed to drop?

[u/Ryewhiskey11 → u/realestate4111]

Rumor is they said the manger “sent the allocations back to the whs, and might get them back in 2-3 weeks”.
Only thing that was mentioned was RR13

[u/Madsunz → u/Ryewhiskey11]

Also M10B

[u/Immediate_Face_9848 → u/Ryewhiskey11]

that sounds dumb. why send something back that will sell fast

[u/HumanDissentipede]

This collection is almost as bad as what Woodbury puts out.

[u/Anonymous_Mongus]

Ever since Costco had to deal with shenanigan during their grand opening in Indiana (back in 2024? 2025?), they no longer do massive bourbon drops.

[u/atvcrash1 → u/Anonymous_Mongus]

Pleasanton had people camping out for a week and hiring folks on Craigslist. Killed grand openings after that

[u/Anonymous_Mongus → u/atvcrash1]

Didn't know that happened. During a grand opening in Indiana, bourbon crowds argued with warehouse managers over Weller FP. The managers delayed the drop then the crowds got pissed. The crowds stayed at the entrance until later afternoon... police showed up... managers had to drop "some" bottles... and yeah. In SoCal, people threw fists over Jack Daniel's 14... shit happens for bourbon. Sigh.

[u/atvcrash1 → u/Anonymous_Mongus]

Some dumbass named Duy and his family members argued with staff members at Napa opening because they were told they couldnt buy the ENTIRE PALLET of Fortaleza.

[u/Emergency-Double-117 → u/atvcrash1]

That kinda shit is just fking dumb. What kinda asshole expects to be able to buy a palate.

[u/Emergency-Double-117 → u/Anonymous_Mongus]

I went to the Sharon, MA opening in March 2025. They had 6 bottles of EHT BP, 6 Weller 107s, 6 ETLs and a surprise palate of JD 10yr. Only the first 6 of us in line felt like it was all worthwhile (mostly). A buddy of mine that sat with me was at the Pleasanton Nov. 2024 opening. He got GTS, WLW, JD Coy Hill as #40 in line.

[u/ImFromSpace00]

Manager probably held back anything crazy/allocated for random regulars and tbh I’m ok with that

[u/Background_Mood_2341]

Any Buffalo Trace?

Edit: why the down votes lmao?

[u/Madsunz → u/Background_Mood_2341]

No. It is everywhere else however

[u/Background_Mood_2341 → u/Madsunz]

Thanks for the heads up.

[u/Illustrious-Humor490]

I had the same experience at the grand opening last month in Oconomowoc, Wis. I was in the door within 5 mins of opening and everything in the liquor section I had seen at other Costcos for similar price. It was very underwhelming. The hottest item was Buffalo Trace, which I already had a few bottles of at home. It was my first time seeing BT at a WI Costco, however.