What You'll Find in the Most Interesting Places

A Google StreetView of C&B Liquors. Great place for craft beer.

There's plenty I like about the neighborhood I live in: walkable, lots of independent shops, great restaurants. However, one of the aspects I appreciate the most is the cultural diversity. From Thai to German to Eastern European to Middle Eastern to Greek to Ethiopian to Indian, the area serves a wide variety of people from various backgrounds. My wife was having a craft party with some friends, and I was sent out to get some libations. What I came across typified the area perfectly: a small, hot liquor/convenience store run by an Indian, next door to a Philippine restaurant and Bosnian photography shop. Even though the place was hot, smelled like incense and could barely fit an adult down the aisle, it had quite a selection of craft beer from local and national breweries. Fit in with Bulgarian wine and macro swill sat Half Acre, Goose Island, Southern Tier, Sierra Nevada, Bells and many more. After years of dealing with Icehouse and Busch Lite at local corner stores, we are finally starting to see good beer filter down, more so than wine. I'm not sure if it's just demand or better distributors, but whatever it is, I welcome it.