With Renovation, Ruben Liquor Store Adapts For the Times

When Seth Gladstone moved to Carroll Gardens two years ago, he was surprised to find the bottles of wine and liquor in his neighborhood spirits store guarded by a Plexiglas barrier.

Purchases at family-run , located on the corner of Court and Baltic streets, are made through a translucent window reminiscent of the neighborhood’s grittier, pre-gentrified past.

“When I come in and see that, it sort of stands out,” said Gladstone, 32. “I’m sure there was a time many years ago in this neighborhood when seeing that type of glass up was more common and maybe more necessary, but I was a little surprised to see that it is still up.”

Not for long. Owner Brenda Martinez is finally making some changes to keep up with the evolving area. The shop, which Martinez’s father Ruben bought in 1977, will close for renovations this weekend. When Ruben’s reopens in mid-August, customers will be able to walk through the store’s doors for the first time in 34 years.

Shoppers will be free to browse from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., but the Plexiglas will stay for added security during the store’s late hours, Martinez said. From 9 p.m. until the store closes at midnight, transactions will still be completed through the window.

The business has not seen any trouble since the early 70s, when it was robbed several times under previous ownership. But Martinez or her brother, Rick, usually man the store solo, so the barrier makes them feel safer — especially when the late-night “rowdy crowd” of people in their early twenties show up.

“They come in groups of five or six, and you know, when they’re young, they want to show off. You never know what they’re going to think or try to do,” she said.  “Since I’m alone, it’s hard for me to just let everybody in. How can I keep track of all that?”

Martinez decided to make the much-needed alterations to the store when she discovered several floorboards that had been cracked thanks to years of wine weighing down on them. She also plans to move the Plexiglas door forward a few feet to make way for more shelves of wines and liquors.

Gladstone, who stops by the store occasionally when he runs out of his spirit staples, whiskey and tequila, says he would be more inclined to browse for bottles when the doors open in August.

“I know they do sell wine in here, and if I happen to be passing by, I would be more likely to browse, given an atmosphere that’s more conducive to that,” Gladstone said. “It’s a positive thing from my perspective.”

But some of Ruben’s loyal customers said they never minded the Plexiglas.

Louisa Ryan, 68, a lifelong customer and Carroll Gardens resident, visits the store four times a week to buy lottery tickets.

“I know what I want, Ruben knows what I want, so browsing is not important to me,” Ryan said.

Nelson Rios, 50, another Carroll Gardens native, has been a Ruben’s regular for 35 years.

“They have great wines here. The service is excellent and their prices are right,” Rios said. “I’ve know these guys a long time. I know what I want and I go right to it.”

Some customers are less certain about their spirit selection, and Martinez hopes the updates will draw more of the neighborhood’s newcomers, many of whom have been deterred by the unwelcoming walls.

Chrissann Gasparro, 30, moved to Carroll Gardens from Park Slope two years ago.  She stops by Ruben’s for wine weekly and is looking forward to browsing when the store reopens.

“It’s a great idea. With all the other boutique wine stores that have moved into the neighborhood, I think the accessibility will be good for Ruben’s,” she said.

While many shoppers are disappointed that their favorite spot will shut down for two months, Rios said it will be good for the Martinez family — and their customers — to take a break.

“It ain’t gonna kill you,” he joked. “You’re not supposed to drink everyday anyway.”