Admiral Discount Liquors Owner A.D. Patel.

Admiral Discount Liquors
395 Admiral St #2
Providence, RI

Square footage: 4,000

Years in operation: 10 years

By Sara Capozzi

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in business this year, Admiral Discount Liquors continues to bring its unique blend of friendly customer service, superior selection and competitive prices to the North Providence area. Run daily by husband-and-wife team, A.D. and Mona Patel, the store has carved out a niche for itself as a convenient stop in the Wanskuck neighborhood. 

A.D. owns the store with his business partners Gogri, LLC, and he splits his time between this store and his Springfield, Massachusetts locations: Plaza Liquors and Premium Liquors. His career in this industry, which spans several decades, has honed his experience at developing solid relationships with customers and sales reps, while keeping shelves stocked with new and in-demand products.

“We get what customers want, so everything here is popular,” Patel said of the store’s selection. That attention to customer service is what contributes to the store’s success, along with the team’s dedication to offering items at fair prices.

The atmosphere at Admiral is friendly and upbeat, welcoming both regular and new shoppers. According to A.D., he regularly sees customers from a diverse mix of backgrounds, mostly hailing from the North Providence area. The store attracts a steady stream of foot traffic from the walkable neighborhood, but there is also plenty of off-street parking for those stopping in by car.

When A.D. purchased the shop, he gave it a complete renovation, making it more appealing to shoppers with an updated interior and a curated product selection. The store is neat and well-lit with new flooring and clear, bright signage, making it quick and easy for shoppers to find selections. Admiral offers a well-rounded variety of beer, wine and spirits to appeal to its established customer base.

A.D. said he has seen trends come and go over the past decade, from IPAs to the bourbon resurgence, and there are always new products for customers to discover. Its whiskey selection is well stocked with plenty of mainstream brands and allocated items for whiskey aficionados seeking their next unique bottle. A range of tequila brands also sell well, and in vodka, Tito’s Handmade Vodka remains a top seller.

Big beer brands reign supreme at Admiral: Corona is the shop’s number one item, with Coors Light, Bud Light and Budweiser. There are also plenty of craft selections stocked in the store’s plentiful cooler space, with customers continuing to reach for local favorites from Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island, Narragansett Beer and Foolproof Brewing. Ready-to-drink cocktails and hard seltzer sales remain strong.

The popularity of wine varietals changes with the seasons, with whites selling more in the warmer months and reds taking center stage in fall and winter, he said, tracking traditionally to buyer patterns. Bottles from local wineries such as Newport Vineyards, Greenvale Vineyards and Gooseneck Vineyards sell well alongside brand-name California labels.

The Patels are happy to take their requests for new products or ones they may not carry. Regular in-store tastings help customers find their next favorite beer, wine or spirit. While Patel admits that some things are universal within the package store industry, it’s the friendly atmosphere that he and Mona create that keeps customers coming back to Admiral.