LHBS Dilema

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

Reply to
Dan Listermann
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I am laughing because I brew on Mondays and my LHBS is closed on Monday and Tuesday. Since I can't drive, my wife takes me there on Saturday or Sunday. So if I forgot something, I have two problems. They will not be open until Wednesday and I can't let my wife know because she harps about planning and making certain I have everything I need.

Fortunately my LHBS prices are competitive with online stores and then I get a 10% discount for being cute (or was it cause I'm a member of one of the LHBC's). I vote cute.

Dick

Reply to
Dick Adams

Best services from an online shop? And if your beer has an off flavor, are you going to mail it to your online shop for advice?

What about advice?

Phil =====visit the New York City Homebrewers Guild website:

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Reply to
Phil

Nice! My wife doesn't drink, just doesn't like the taste of alcohol. So its probably not likely she'll pick me up my brewing goods.. though she does pick me up beer or port on occasion. Heh, maybe I'll ask if she'll pick me up some LME and hops :) Ihope you brew your wife something she likes.

Well, I try the cute thing. But the guys at my LHBS don't seem to think I am.. so I bring my 4 year old along and let him put his cute face on. Still no discount. They think he's well behaved, but it ain't getting me any % off.

Reply to
Dan Logcher

Don't we get advice here?

Reply to
Dan Logcher

Joel, that is an insightful statement.

Dick

Reply to
Dick Adams

There are two homebrew shops within a twenty minute drive of me. And there used to be a third. I rarely visited these shops because of bad service, opting to drive over an hour to a reputable shop. The shop where I learned to brew is ninety miles from where I live.

The shop that I now work in is sixty miles from my home. They, too, do a lot of online business. People come for advice and to have us taste their beers. You can't do that on line.

Phil

=====visit the New York City Homebrewers Guild website:

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Reply to
Phil

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