After having attended the American Home Wine and Beer Trade Association conferences, it is obvious that there are two kinds of stores - beer and wine stores. Almost all do both, but they aways seem to emphisize one over the other probably due to the interests of the founder. Wine came late to our store and we are really glad to have it.
While initally I did not believe it, I was always told that the home brew biz was countercyclical. The recession of the early 90's brought a spurt of business to the hobby. We opened our store in 95 to be just in time for the huge expansion of the ninties. . . . There was a big flushing of marginal stores during this peroid. We hung on due to our manufacturing and rent collection from extra space. The last recession, brought on by Greenspan's increasing the discount rate 12 straight months, gave us double digit growth rates. While we are still growing, we have had to settle for single digit growth. The Fed has raised the discount rate, what, 14 straight months now? You will please pardon me but I can't wait for the downturn!
Dan