Berbiglia's Wine and Spirits: In the words of Bettye Davis: "What a dump!"

Have you been to a Berbiglia's Wine and Spirits store lately? At least, have you been to the ones near the Plaza and in Westport? I mean really, the founder, Mike Berbiglia, must be spinning in his grave. If there are any Berbiglia's still in town, I would think the entire clan would be embarrassed down to their socks. I stopped in last evening to the one just off the Plaza (4500 Belleview) and the place is just a pit. The carpet has been there for what appears to be decades and is, additionally, filthy. You can't tell if people spilled wine or other alcohol on the carpet in various places or if they got sick. Fortunately, it doesn't smell of either but that's the best thing I can say about it. Secondly, the entire store was so grossly understocked it was embarrassing, too, if not frustrating, as a customer. Third, the music the one clerk was playing--both songs I heard--were so loud and grating as to give you yet one more reason to regret you had come in and want to run out as fast as possible. (Note to owners: maybe it's not such a great idea to have only one clerk manning a liquor store just before 10 pm. Ever heard of armed robberies?). Mind you, I believe the store at 75th and State Line is a nicer looking store but this one, on Main, and the one in Westport (1215 Westport Road) and the one at 43rd and Main--again, just off the Plaza--all 3 are just embarrassing, ugly dumps. It's surprising that a store that pretends to be upscale and that doesn't have any real bargains on wine and that got "BEST LIQUOR STORE" Gold Award by Ingram's Magazine for 2006 would have stores in as bad a condition anywhere, let alone this close to the all important and image-conscious Country Club Plaza. To go in to these Berbiglia stores, if you've ever worked retail, is to assume the owners think you are nothing and have utterly no respect for you at all. I avoid Berbiglia stores for this very reason and won't go back again until they're cleaned up--no matter how desperate I become. Will one person make a difference? Probably not. Not unless he or she blogs. And the word gets around.