Local LCBO blues?

djskip · Post by **djskip** » Wed May 21, 2008 9:43 am

So this is happened a few times over the past year:

i step into an LCBO that i expect to have at least a decent selection of beers only to find less selection then i would find at the beer store down the street. isn't it supposed to be the other way around? nuthin but the big beers at the LCBO. pfft!

mere words cannot describe my disappointment yesterday with the sucky selection at the LCBO closest to me. next time i shop in the big smoke and fill my boat!

esprit · Post by **esprit** » Wed May 21, 2008 10:23 am

Complain to the store manager and if he or she is indiferrent, ask for the name of the district manager. The only way things will change is if consumers stand up and fight!

JesseM · Post by **JesseM** » Wed May 21, 2008 10:40 am

Yeah I know what you mean. I posted a thread a while back named "the wasteland" on the same subject. I'm starting to question the competency of the few people in charge of beer in my area, seriously, it's almost as if when they don't personally like something, they just decide not to carry it in their store

.

Beer Geek · Post by **Beer Geek** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:34 pm

JesseM wrote:Yeah I know what you mean. I posted a thread a while back named "the wasteland" on the same subject. I'm starting to question the competency of the few people in charge of beer in my area, seriously, it's almost as if when they don't personally like something, they just decide not to carry it in their store .

Jess consider yourself lucky, I go out of my way to go to the new LCBO downtown Waterloo (which I’m assuming is your local). My Highland Road store is awful, and make no effort in promoting Ontario Micros, unlike Waterloo that typically has them front and centre.

jaymack · Post by **jaymack** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:47 pm

Can't complain abotu Oakville. We haev 2 really good stores that stay well stocked with the good stuff (and I ain't talkin' bout Labatts Blue).

For anyone in the area, there's a great one in Burlington too, at Appelby and Upper Middle. Always well stocked

JesseM · Post by **JesseM** » Wed May 21, 2008 2:20 pm

Beer Geek wrote:
JesseM wrote:Yeah I know what you mean. I posted a thread a while back named "the wasteland" on the same subject. I'm starting to question the competency of the few people in charge of beer in my area, seriously, it's almost as if when they don't personally like something, they just decide not to carry it in their store .
Jess consider yourself lucky, I go out of my way to go to the new LCBO downtown Waterloo (which I’m assuming is your local). My Highland Road store is awful, and make no effort in promoting Ontario Micros, unlike Waterloo that typically has them front and centre.

Uptown Waterloo was my local, when I was living at King St. residence over the past year. My actual local is the crappy tiny one in the Alpine plaza. BUT, I'm pretty excited about the huge new one they are building right beside that plaza to replace the tiny one.

The Highland Rd. one is sort of hit or miss in my experience. Sometimes they have something that I can't find at any other store in our area, and sometimes they have virtually nothing of interest. At the moment, they are the only store left around here that has the Westmalle Tripel (and lots of it too, you can actually buy a sixer in a cool looking box).

I know a guy who's in charge of the beer at a store in Cambridge, and he says the people who are in control of the beer at the Uptown location are pretty much just a**holes. I think they're supposed to be a change in management happening some time. An example of them just ignoring a beer was the Young's Double Chocolate Stout. Absolutely no sign of it EVER, except for a brief appearance at the Ottawa and River location, which is a pretty decent store actually, but is WAY out of my way.

boney · Post by **boney** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:20 pm

I've been noticing that most LCBO's are a little low right now......hopefully anticipating the new summer releases coming soon.

I was at the LCBO on Columbia in Waterloo this morning specifically to pick up Sgt. Major IPA, which I never, ever see in Hamilton. Nice selection overall. It was great to see an actual "Ontario Microbrew" display there as well.

A couple of plugs for the "good" LCBO's in Southern Ontario......The Dundurn location in Hamilton is a gem, with several of the people contributing to store ordering seeming like good ol' beer geeks themselves. The Fanshawe Park Rd location in London is a good place to stock up too, if you are already in town to hit up Chaucer's.

Pub Style · Post by **Pub Style** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:04 pm

The LCBO is reporting that Ontario craft beers rose 37 per cent over the 2007/08 fiscal year.
http://www.greatcanadianpubs.blogspot.com

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:28 pm

JesseM wrote: I know a guy who's in charge of the beer at a store in Cambridge, and he says the people who are in control of the beer at the Uptown location are pretty much just a**holes. I think they're supposed to be a change in management happening some time. An example of them just ignoring a beer was the Young's Double Chocolate Stout. Absolutely no sign of it EVER, except for a brief appearance at the Ottawa and River location, which is a pretty decent store actually, but is WAY out of my way.

It is interesting that some stores do have the initiative to serve customers very well, and take an interest in all products that are seasonal/Vintages. It really makes a difference. The Coxwell/O'Connor store is fantastic in securing stock for you, be it wine or beer.

The downside of this 'human initiative' policy, apparently is that some stores don't need to have any spark or interest or knowledge, at least not beyond GeneralLlist. Maybe some of them just don't realize the need for it, or see the reason to care about anything that does not roll in through the door all by itself. After all it must LOOK to them as if they have "all the bases covered, assuming they do not know any better. They may honestly believe Keiths IPA or Stella Artois is a premium product, like the Ads say it is.

Bytowner · Post by **Bytowner** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:34 pm

I'm relatively blessed working close to Ottawa's flagship store on Rideau and living next to the large LCBO in Orleans, which serves an upper-middle class clientele. If the LCBO is carrying it, I have easy access to it.

Illuminatus · Post by **Illuminatus** » Wed May 21, 2008 10:02 pm

JesseM wrote:My actual local is the crappy tiny one in the Alpine plaza. BUT, I'm pretty excited about the huge new one they are building right beside that plaza to replace the tiny one.

Would you believe I didn't know that was the new LCBO until they put the signs on this week?

JesseM · Post by **JesseM** » Wed May 21, 2008 10:11 pm

Hahaha, what do you mean put up signs? Like advertisements that a new one is opening? I really have no idea when it'll be open, but I can't wait. It's really impossible to tell how much further they have to go. When I saw they'd just started the interior like a couple weeks back I thought there's no way it'll be open this summer, but they seem to be getting it done pretty fast. There's lights on the inside and everything (that stay on ALL NIGHT for some reason, talk about a waste of energy).

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Wed May 21, 2008 10:22 pm

Bytowner wrote:I'm relatively blessed working close to Ottawa's flagship store on Rideau and living next to the large LCBO in Orleans, which serves an upper-middle class clientele. If the LCBO is carrying it, I have easy access to it.

And I'll be joining you soon my friend.

Illuminatus · Post by **Illuminatus** » Wed May 21, 2008 10:32 pm

JesseM wrote:Hahaha, what do you mean put up signs? Like advertisements that a new one is opening? I really have no idea when it'll be open, but I can't wait. It's really impossible to tell how much further they have to go. When I saw they'd just started the interior like a couple weeks back I thought there's no way it'll be open this summer, but they seem to be getting it done pretty fast. There's lights on the inside and everything (that stay on ALL NIGHT for some reason, talk about a waste of energy).

They put the big green LCBO awnings over the windows last week. And it's opening June 6th, if I'm remembering what the cashier told me last time I was in.

Illuminatus · Post by **Illuminatus** » Wed May 21, 2008 10:34 pm

Bytowner wrote:I'm relatively blessed working close to Ottawa's flagship store on Rideau and living next to the large LCBO in Orleans, which serves an upper-middle class clientele. If the LCBO is carrying it, I have easy access to it.

I've been in that store once. I had to wear two layers of clothes on the bus back to Waterloo, cause my suitcase was so full of Chimay and Orval that the Greyhound attendant actually broke the handle trying to lift it out of the luggage compartment.