Spec's Awards & RecognizationSpec's Awards & RecognizationSpec's Awards & Recognization

Awards & Recognition

AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS

  • BCA 10: Best Businesses Partnering with the Arts in America

AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN

  • Best Place to Buy Liquor 2019
  • Best Place to Buy Liquor / Best Place to Buy Wine 2020
  • Best Liquor Store 2021
  • Best Beer Store 2023
  • Best Beer, Liquor & Craft Beer Store 2024

AUSTIN CHRONICLE

  • First Plates Award Bacon Blue Burger 2014
  • Readers’ Choice Best Beer/Wine Prices 2007-2012
  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011
  • Critics’ Best Under-the-Radar Hamburger 2010
  • Critics’ Best Frito Pie 2009

BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2016

BEVERAGE DYNAMICS

  • Retailer of the Year 2007

THE COLONY

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2015
  • Readers’ Choice Best Beer & Wine Store 2015

THE COLONY COURIER GAZETTE

  • Best Liquor Store, Beer & Wine Store 2020

CORPUS CHRISTI CALLER

  • Readers’ Choice Best Beer/Wine Selection 2012
  • Best Beer Store 2023
  • Best Beer Store 2024
  • Best Beer Store 2025

THE DAILY TEXAN

  • UT-Most Best Liquor Store

Daily Sentinel

  • Best Liquor Store 2022
  • Best Liquor Store 2023
  • Best Liquor Store 2025
  • Best Liquor Store 2026

DAILY TOREADOR – LUBBOCK

  • Best Liquor Store 2019
  • Best Liquor Store 2020
  • Best Liquor Store 2021
  • Best Liquor Store 2022
  • Best Liquor Store 2023

Dallas Morning News

  • Best Liquor Store 2021

DALLAS OBSERVER

  • Readers’ Choice Best Wine/Liquor Store 2012-2014 & 2016
  • Best Wine & Liquor Shop 2019

THE EAGLE – COLLEGE STATION

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2010-2014
  • Readers’ Choice Best Wine Selection 2014
  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2010-2014
  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2015-2016
  • Best Liquor Store 2019
  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2020
  • Best Liquor Store 2021
  • Best Liquor Store 2022
  • Best Liquor Store 2023

EL PASO TIMES

  • Reader’ Choice Best Wine Selection 2015
  • Best Beer Store 2022
  • Best Beer Store 2023
  • Best Beer Store 2024
  • Best Beer Store 2025

ERNST & YOUNG

  • Entrepreneur of the Year Award

FORT WORTH MAGAZINE

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2015-2016

FORT WORTH WEEKLY

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2014 & 2016
  • Best Liquor Store 2019
  • Best Liquor Stor 2022

GALVESTON.COM

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2014
  • Readers’ Choice Best Wine Selection & Liquor Store 2015
  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor 2016

GALVESTON DAILY NEWS

  • Best Liquor Store 2019
  • Best Liquor Store 2020
  • Best Liquor Store 2021
  • Best Liquor Store 2022
  • Best Liquor Store 2023

HIGHLANDER NEWS

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Selection 2015-2016

HOOD COUNTY NEWS

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2015-2016
  • Best Liquor Store 2019
  • Best Liquor Store 2021
  • Best Liquor Store 2022
  • Best Liquor Store 2023
  • Best Liquor Store 2024
  • Best Wine Store 2024
  • Best Liquor & Wine Store 2025

HOUSTON CHRONICLE

  • Best Craft Beer, Best Place to Buy Beer, Best Place to Buy Liquor, Best Place to Buy Wine 2020
  • Best Liquor & Wine Store 2021
  • Best Place to Buy Alcohol 2022
  • Best Liquor Store 2023
  • Best Liquor Store 2024
  • Best Liquor Store 2025

HOUSTON PRESS

  • 100 Best Dishes in Houston, #99 for Texas Turkey Sandwich 2012
  • 100 Best Dishes in Houston, #60 for Pâté de France 2011
  • Runner-up Best Sommelier in Texas – Luis La Torre 2013
  • Top 5 Food Signs in Houston – Store #3 Stella Link 2010
  • Houston’s 10 Best Pizzas (Honorable Mention #1) – Smith Street 2013
  • Best Liquor Store – Smith Street 2000, 2004-2011, 2013, 2015-2016
  • Best Wine Store – 2014, 2016
  • Best Cheese Selection – Smith Street 2001
  • Best Budget Lunch Spot – Smith Street 2013
  • Houston’s 10 Best Sandwiches – Pâté de France 2012

HOUSTON SYMPHONY

  • Corporate Citizenship Award 2011
  • Mike Stude Award for Enduring Artistic Vision 2016

HUNTSVILLE ITEM

  • Best Liquor Store 2019
  • Best Liquor Store 2020
  • Best Draft/Beer/Wine Selection 2020
  • Best Liquor Store 2022
  • Best Liquor Store 2023
  • Best Liquor Store 2024
  • Best Liquor Store 2025

KERRVILLE DAILY TIMES

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Shop 2013-2016

KILLEEN DAILY HERALD

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2012-2016
  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2019-2020
  • Best Liquor Store 2021
  • Best Liqour Store in Central Texas 2021
  • Best Liquor Store 2022
  • Best Liquor Store 2025

THE LAREDO MORNING TIMES

  • Best Wine Selection / Best Liquor, Wine and Beer Store 2019
  • Best Wine Selection 2020
  • Best Liquor and Beer Selection 2020
  • Best Liquor Store 2022
  • Best Liquor Store 2023

THE LEADER NEWSPAPER

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2016
  • Best Liquor Store 2019
  • Best Liquor Store 2021

LUBBOCK AVALANCHE JOURNAL

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2014
  • Best Liquor Store 2019
  • Best Liquor Store 2020
  • Best Liquor, Wine, Craft, Beer Store 2022
  • Best Beer, Liquor & Wine Store 2023
  • Best Beer, Liquor & Wine Store 2024
  • Best Beer & Liquor Store 2025

MARKET WATCH MAGAZINE

  • Best Merchandising 2010
  • Retailer of the Year 1998 & 2025
  • Outstanding Leaders Award
  • Market Watch Leader, Lisa Rydman 2016

MCKINNEY COURIER GAZETTE

  • Best Liquor Store, Beer & Wine Store 2020
  • Best Beer, Liquor & Wine Store 2023

The Monitor

  • Best Liquor Store 2021
  • Favorite Liquor Store 2024

NASFT

  • Outstanding Food Retailer

NEW BRAUNFELS HERALD-ZEITUNG

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2015-2016
  • Best Liquor Store 2019
  • Best Liquor Store 2020
  • Best Liquor Store 2021
  • Best Liquor Store 2022
  • Best Liquor Store 2024

NORTH TEXAS EXES ASSOCIATION

  • Martha Turner Award of Distinction 2004

NORTH TEXAS UNIVERSITY

  • Green Glory Service Award 2001

OUTSMART MAGAZINE

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2010-2016, 2019 – 2020

PLANO MAGAZINE

  • Plano’s Best Sandwich 2016

PORT ARTHUR NEWS

  • Readers’ Choice Best Beer & Wine 2014 & 2016
  • Best Place to Buy Beer and Wine 2019

SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS

  • Readers’ & Critics’ Choice Liquor/Wine Store 2013-2016
  • Best Liquor Store 2021
  • Best Liquor Store 2022
  • Best Liquor Store 2023
  • Best Liquor Store 2024
  • Favorite Liquor Store 2025
  • Favorite Liquor Store 2026

SAN ANTONIO CURRENT

  • Readers’ Choice Best Liquor Store 2016
  • Best Liquor Store 2020
  • Best Liquor Store 2025

Star Local Media

  • Best or Favorite Liquor/Beer/Wine Store 2019
  • Best Liquor/Beer/Wine Store 2020

Star Local Media - Carrollton

  • Best Liquor Store 2023
  • Best Liquor Store 2025

Star Local Media - Lewisville

  • Best Liquor Store 2023
  • Best Liquor Store 2025

Star Telegram

  • DFW Favorites 2023

TEXAS ASSOCIATION FOR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAS

  • Award of Excellence for Business 2004
  • Award of Excellence for Business 2021-2022

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS

  • Distinguished Alumni Award, John & Lindy Rydman 2011

VICTORIA ADVOCATE

  • Readers’ Choice Best Wine & Liquor Store 2010-2016
  • Best Wine and Liquor Store 2019

Waco Tribune

  • Best Liquor Store 2023

WINE ENTHUSIAST MAGAZINE

  • Wine Retailer of the Year 2008