The idea that a real beer store wouldn't work in this city is ridiculous. If the LCBO and BRI were actually good at selling beer, and still weren't doing it, then I could buy this argument. But go to Premier Gourmet. Hell, even go to Beers of the World. Go to Belmont Station, Pitfield Beer Shop, or Shangy's. I've been to a lot of great beer stores and they all look and feel like great beer stores. The LCBO and BRI do not. The staff know nothing, the presentation is lacking, and the selection is seemingly random - a collection of individual beers but no real sense of purpose behind it. There is no glassware, no books, no magazines. Aside from a little sticker saying "Fall Beers", there is no promotion.
Once in a while they'll do a tasting where some sales rep comes in and pours a couple of brands. Oooo...I'm excited. So excited I've never bothered to go to any of these. Manulife did this with Pilsner Urquell recently. Why would I go? If I want to know what Urquell tastes like I can buy a can for $2.20! Bring in Ken Woods (that's right folks, owners and brewers good, generic sales reps bad) to pour some cask Nut Brown and taste some farmhouse cheddar, and I'll make the trip.
I don't get excited about beer when I walk into the LCBO, and I'm a beer geek. How is the average consumer who might drink the odd sixer of Sleeman Cream going to get enthusiastic about beer? Compounding the problem is that most people who drink beer don't even go into the LCBO! Well, when 90% of your target market shops at BRI and you are essentially forced to sell through the LCBO - that's not exactly a recipe for success. But wait, you say. What kind of beer selection would Loblaw's have? A crappy one. Really crappy. So crappy it would drive anybody to a decent store, from which they would trade up to a good store. Just like what happens in every redneck, podunk town in the States. Or is Allentown, PA all over us in terms of sophistication?
Take away the limitations on beer retailing, build a store that gets people excited about beer, staff it with people with whom you do not have to argue to convince them that your Brutal Bitter has not gone off because of the sediment in the bottom - and then we'll find out what this market is really like. Saying that Torontonians won't buy good beer, given the environment that they are presented with, is like saying "I don't like beer" after sampling the Rickard's range.
The LCBO tinkers and teases, but at the end of the day, people like us will go the extra mile no matter how feeble their offerings are. We're the easy customers for great beer. Moving beyond this takes more than the current "if we stock it, they will buy" philosophy. I'm glad they stock it, and hope they always will because I need it, but all the great imports and hardcore Bartowellers alone aren't going to make or break this market. That's up to the LCBO and the government of Ontario.
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Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
september beers
You know, I should point out that in the Atrium (haven't checked anywhere else) they didn't even put up a "featured selection" sign on the shelf.
Many people probably don't know that some of these beers are new and limited.
I'd like to buy some, but I'm only one man. I've only finally wittled my stash of HopDevil down to the final six pack and I drink a couple a day (alky).
I think it's everyone's responsibility here to find a good friend and introduce him to some good product and do some grassroots selling. The more product sold the better the selection next time 'round.
Plus this makes Peter a happy person.
Many people probably don't know that some of these beers are new and limited.
I'd like to buy some, but I'm only one man. I've only finally wittled my stash of HopDevil down to the final six pack and I drink a couple a day (alky).
I think it's everyone's responsibility here to find a good friend and introduce him to some good product and do some grassroots selling. The more product sold the better the selection next time 'round.
Plus this makes Peter a happy person.
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Mississauga Matt
- Posts: 270
- Joined: Thu Mar 21, 2002 7:00 pm
We were down in the area of St. Lawrence Market today, and we popped in to the LCBO so Sheryl could pick up some fruit wines. They had a fairly complete selection of the September release along with little cards describing the beers - and interestingly, they had a couple of Black Sheep beers (Ale and Riggwelter) mixed in there, complete with the description cards as well.
We grabbed a bottle of each of the Black Sheep, and a Pinkus Alt which we missed on our Manulife visit last weekend. Our fridge is now very, very full and I'm not allowed to buy any more beer until I drink some of what we've got. Oh, woe is me...
Greg
We grabbed a bottle of each of the Black Sheep, and a Pinkus Alt which we missed on our Manulife visit last weekend. Our fridge is now very, very full and I'm not allowed to buy any more beer until I drink some of what we've got. Oh, woe is me...
Greg