The physical plant and atmosphere of Candelight are lovely, and staffers Sixto and Al (and the now-retired Hector) are absolutely wonderful people, and I've been a patron for several years. During a visit to a neighboring liquor store, however, I discovered to my dismay that Candlelight inflates its prices hideously, to the point that a standard bottle of Veuve Clicquot costs nearly $10 (yes, I said ten dollars) more at Candlelight than it does at 86th Corner Wine and Liquors (which also offers a wider variety of spirits and champagnes). No, 86th Corner can't compete with Candlelight in terms of ambience and knowledge of merchandise, but their staff is friendly enough, and during the ten minutes per week that I spend in the liquor store, I don't care whether I'm listening to Verdi or Hot 97. I would still go to Candlelight if I wanted to try a new wine and needed a recommendation, but otherwise I've decided that I'd rather not get gouged.
Pros: Great staff, great wine recommendations, lovely layout, nice atmosphere
Cons: insane price markups; limited, staid collection of spirits
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