Sumantro D.
Yelp
Easily the best spirits shop in Long Island City and frankly the only one you need to know (I've shopped at all of them).
What sets HPWS apart is their careful attention to customer need and the personalized experience that maintains continuity across visits. I've often found myself shopping for an occasion and the team here knows the questions in a shopper's consideration set (taste, occasion i.e. friend's birthday/colleague's birthday, relationship to the individual if it's a gift, how the beverage will be consumed, price point - everything that matters for buying something). You will leave the store with not only a great deal financially but also with a sense of context of what you bringing home with you / gifting which embodies the whole idea of each distillery/winery sharing it's heritage & brand.
Marko, Tony and Dakim run a 'tight ship' bringing in old-world favorites but also experimental beverages such as aged whiskies from India (which is actually a thing). Their end-of-week wine tastings are free and always a treat to look forward to - along with their customer service this shop is something every reader of this review should experience in person.
Another point noting, this business supports other local businesses and is often found collaborating / promoting local CSAs and other neighbourhood small-business partnerships - this is a big deal that one would only know upon coming into their store.
Moreover, it is evident that the team here wants to make sure folks leave feeling happy, something that is becoming increasingly rare across all businesses.