Paradise Liquors has been serving up a vast selection of wines, beers and spirits for nearly five years in Ventana Ranch.
It is more than just a liquor store though. The Tap, a full bar serving beers and cocktails, is located in the store.
Manager Ruperto Baca said Paradise Liquors is unique.
“There’s Stone Face; I think it sells package liquor now, but it was a bar first,” Baca said from The Tap Tuesday. “When we started four-and-a-half years ago, it was registers here. The owner decided to put a bar in, and I thought it’d be an awesome idea. We got some good support, and here we are.”
It’s not just The Tap that makes Paradise Liquors different. Baca said they aim to be family- and community-friendly. While many bars have a drink minimum, Paradise has a three-drink maximum.
“We want to keep it neighborhood friendly,” Baca said. “We all live around here; we have a church here in the same parking lot. Then [we’re] also down the street from school. So we want to keep everything downtown downtown. We’ve gotten awesome feedback from customers stating that they love being able to come here. It’s kind of hole-in-the-wall place to meet their neighbors.”
There is no kitchen, but food trucks are often on hand. Friday, David Hunter will drive The Kitchen Sink 505 into the Paradise Liquors parking lot to serve up burgers, nachos and other menu items.
Baca said the crowd at The Tap is mostly regulars but the bar is growing. Owners Luca Park, Mike Barker and Matt Reeves have plans to extend the bar and add more tables, both inside and on the patio as more people discover the bar.
“Every once in a while, we’ll get people that move in and they’re just like, you know, I passed this place and I didn’t realize it was a liquor store and had a bar,” Baca said. “And it soon becomes one of their most favorite stops.”
Baca said what makes The Tap special is the outstanding crew of employees.
“I think we stand out with the employees that we have,” Baca said. “You can walk in any day at any time and there’s always a fun conversation going on. And there’s always that customer employee relationship that we built.”
Paradise Liquors has two locations: the main one is located at 6531 Paradise NW in Ventana Square. The liquor store is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. The Tap is open 2-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 2-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
