Just got hired at the LHBS

:rockin::rockin::rockin::rockin:

Put my resume in a couple days ago. Got a call today while I was at work, no interview just hired. He told me how much he was going to pay me and that he could give me 40 hours. Done. He said I could start today or in two weeks if needed. Putting in my 2 weeks at my current job on Monday and hopefully the owner will just cut me loose right then so I can walk down the street and get started. So awesome it totally made me forget the Nottingham ordeal I had been dealing with.

Stoked.

employee discount???

25% so I'll really only be getting grain, yeast and other consumables. Still gonna order online for hops. Although there is a 15gal Boilermaker there that has suddenly caught my eye.

So what was your current job, or if you can't say the employer, what did you do for a living?

Orlando

25%? huh, thats disappointing... hes still making money off you.


edit: sorry, didnt mean for that to sound so negative.......congrats.. sounds like fun.

Anubis said:

25% so I'll really only be getting grain, yeast and other consumables. Still gonna order online for hops. Although there is a 15gal Boilermaker there that has suddenly caught my eye.

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Good luck with the new gig.

Gotta tell you however, as a former business owner - you'd be out the door (in nanoseconds) if I found out you were ordering supplies from someone else while working for me. Take some initiative after you've been working there for a few weeks and talk to the owner about how hop prices are great online and you think that customers are looking elsewhere for them.

samc said:

Good luck with the new gig.

Gotta tell you however, as a former business owner - you'd be out the door (in nanoseconds) if I found out you were ordering supplies from someone else while working for me. Take some initiative after you've been working there for a few weeks and talk to the owner about how hop prices are great online and you think that customers are looking elsewhere for them.

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Im pretty sure thats not legal

p.s. where in portland are you?

samc said:

Good luck with the new gig.

Gotta tell you however, as a former business owner - you'd be out the door (in nanoseconds) if I found out you were ordering supplies from someone else while working for me. Take some initiative after you've been working there for a few weeks and talk to the owner about how hop prices are great online and you think that customers are looking elsewhere for them.

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oh, and another thing... if the owner gave any where near a halfway decient employee discount.. it wouldnt be an issue to begin with.

Anubis said:

Still gonna order online for hops.

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I hope from your new employer.
Remember who is feeding you and your family from now on.


Cheers,
ClaudiusB

samc said:

Gotta tell you however, as a former business owner - you'd be out the door (in nanoseconds) if I found out you were ordering supplies from someone else while working for me. Take some initiative after you've been working there for a few weeks and talk to the owner about how hop prices are great online and you think that customers are looking elsewhere for them.

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What business were you in? I can't see how that would be grounds for firing someone in the homebrewing business. True, if you did fire such an employee, they probably would not follow through with challanging you because it would cost more then what was worth. Still, what an employee does with their time outside of work is in no way your concern. I work in the creative service industry myself: the usual status is that employees can work their own freelance as long as it doesn't impede their work for their main employer.

ClaudiusB said:

Remember who is feeding you and your family from now on.

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Dude sick of this. We are supposed to kiss azz now cause the economy is bad. He is the one feeding his family, he goes to work and earns a previously agreed upon wage. I'm grateful for my job and my employer, but I make him a ton of money.

My boss has a saying.

If you work for Coke, you get free Coca-Cola.

Basically, if you're looking for something that your place of employment provides, your employer should let you you have it at a competitive price (if not free). If not, that employer has no right to question you getting it somewhere else.

I understand that a small LHBS probably can't compete with bulk on-line prices, but to say he's fired if he gets hops somewhere else is ludicrous.

Oh BTW, Congrats on the job!

without an employment contract, in CA at least (dunno re: Oregon):
all employees are "at will".. meaning an employee can quit and employer can fire -at will.
The firing just can't be discriminatory (based on race, gender, age) or for retaliation (whistle-blower), etc.
cheers.

Firing for buying hops elsewhere is clearly retaliation.

dunnright00 said:

My boss has a saying.

If you work for Coke, you get free Coca-Cola.

Basically, if you're looking for something that your place of employment provides, your employer should let you you have it at a competitive price (if not free). If not, that employer has no right to question you getting it somewhere else.

I understand that a small LHBS probably can't compete with bulk on-line prices, but to say he's fired if he gets hops somewhere else is ludicrous.

Oh BTW, Congrats on the job!

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right... in other words, he should be getting more than 25% off. Thats the real crime here. The employer should not make money off selling things to his employees. they dont need to be free.. but at least not for profit.

Congratulations! Hope it turns out to be a great gig.

foltster said:

Firing for buying hops elsewhere is clearly retaliation.

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I would agree

yeah, maybe it could be retaliation. not sure. anyways, good luck!

A 25% employee discount is pretty good. I'm sure the employees also get some of the damaged or outdated product for next to nothing.

HItransplant said:

right... in other words, he should be getting more than 25% off. Thats the real crime here. The employer should not make money off selling things to his employees. they dont need to be free.. but at least not for profit.

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How do we know what the said employer's profit margin is?!?!

Soooooooo much speculation in this thread, it's scary.

Congrats OP for getting fired for buying hops from somewhere else as your employer pockets all of your employee "discount" /sarcasm

Seriously OP - congrats!

AZ_IPA said:

How do we know what the said employer's profit margin is?!?!

Soooooooo much speculation in this thread, it's scary.

Congrats OP for getting fired for buying hops from somewhere else as your employer pockets all of your employee "discount" /sarcasm

Seriously OP - congrats!

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we dont know what his profit margin is.. but Id wager markup is more than 25% or he wouldnt be able to keep the lights on.

regardless, the best part would be the smell of grain in your nose all day.

again, congrats on what sounds to be a very exciting new chapter.. hope its super awesome.

At my LHBS hops are $2/oz That makes 1LB $32. 25% off is $24. I can buy hops for something on the order of 1/2 that price online including shipping so how is 25% off a good deal on hops?

foltster said:

At my LHBS hops are $2/oz That makes 1LB $32. 25% off is $24. I can buy hops for something on the order of 1/2 that price online including shipping so how is 25% off a good deal on hops?

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Quit with the ****ing speculation everyone!!!!!!!! Be happy for the OP!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow. Let's all just chill for a second.

I'm in Seattle.

It's a 25% discount because it's a small shop and he and I have discussed his mark ups and profit margins before, I know the position he is in. I don't see it as unfair at all.

Everyone who works there already buys hops and other stuff online and the owner just doesn't want us encouraging customers to do so.

I don't want to sound like a jerk but.. I have made more money for my employers than I have ever made. I'm helping put food on both our tables. I need him as much as he needs me.

As for where I used to work.... I am in the plumbing & electrical fields, most of my career has been in parts but I have also done a lot of work bidding on jobs with the city, state and military. By trade I am an electrician but have started working in plumbing (parts & small repair). Both are great trades and I have learned a lot over the years but I have no desire to remain in either trade. I want to work around, with and/or brewing beer.

Anubis said:

Both are great trades and I have learned a lot over the years but I have no desire to remain in either trade. I want to work around, with and/or brewing beer.

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bravo to you sir, for following your passion.... and seriously, congrats.

were all just jealous

Nice, congrats Anubis!

The Cellar or Bob's?

Good on ya mate! Any discount is better than retail... !

Cellar! But please if you come in please don't mention I started bragging online.

JNye said:

Dude sick of this. We are supposed to kiss azz now cause the economy is bad.

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He is the one feeding his family, he goes to work and earns a previously agreed upon wage.

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You don't have to kiss ass, but we should always support our employer first so he can keep on paying previously agreed wages.

I'm grateful for my job and my employer, but I make him a ton of money.

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Great and your employer will reward you for making him money.

I have always told my family members as long they live under our roof for free the should never buy a product from the competitor if we make the same.

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

samc said:

Good luck with the new gig.

Gotta tell you however, as a former business owner - you'd be out the door (in nanoseconds) if I found out you were ordering supplies from someone else while working for me.

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Guess that explains why you are a former business owner.

Wow this thread derailed quickly. Congrats on the new gig.

Wiezer said:

Guess that explains why you are a former business owner.

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+1. If my boss said that I'd quit.

Wiezer said:

Guess that explains why you are a former business owner.

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lol

Anubis said:

Cellar! But please if you come in please don't mention I started bragging online.

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Cool! I love The Cellar, great store and the grain card system is awesome.

Don't worry, I will just come in and ask for the guy who said he could sneak supplies out after hours

Yeah, wow; congratulations! Lots of people on here tossing out some interesting ideas. First of all, 25% is a fantastic amount compared to the discounts I received working retail in high school. And they were giant corporations who could probably afford giving their employees more than 25%. Also, people who work at homebrew stores are usually really fair, down to Earth individuals who just love the people and the trade. I've been brewing so much in the past year that as a customer, the folks at my local homebrew store know me by name and even give me a discount! So here's me being happy for you Anubis, for not many occupations actually respect drinking on the job!

I have to wonder does working at a LHBS pay better than Minimum wage?

-=Jason=-

samc said:

Good luck with the new gig.

Gotta tell you however, as a former business owner - you'd be out the door (in nanoseconds) if I found out you were ordering supplies from someone else while working for me. Take some initiative after you've been working there for a few weeks and talk to the owner about how hop prices are great online and you think that customers are looking elsewhere for them.

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that's like me fireing one of my cooks because they go eat a different pizza place. as an employer you have no control over what or where your team spends their money. however if one of my cooks was telling guests that the pizza down the street is better and they should go there, id tell that cook they should too

samc said:

Good luck with the new gig.

Gotta tell you however, as a former business owner - you'd be out the door (in nanoseconds) if I found out you were ordering supplies from someone else while working for me. Take some initiative after you've been working there for a few weeks and talk to the owner about how hop prices are great online and you think that customers are looking elsewhere for them.

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So if you owned a restaurant and I ate somewhere else you'd fire me? Or if you owned a car company and I purchased from a competitor you'd fire me? This is America brother, and as consumers we have the right to buy whatever the hell we want from whoever the hell we want.

Congrats to the OP on the new job!

Demon said:

Wow this thread derailed quickly. Congrats on the new gig.

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ClaudiusB said:

You don't have to kiss ass, but we should always support our employer first so he can keep on paying previously agreed wages.

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So we should worry about feeding our employer before we feed our own family? Man, that logic is messed up! I get the whole "loyalty" to ones employer, but not when it's going to be more money out of my pocket. I mean, if you're making six figures and can afford to take the hit then sure. The OP is entry level at a LHBS probably making no more than $9 or $10 an hour and grossing $20,000 a year. It's his damn money and he earned it. Why the hell should he have to pay his employer $1 or $2 more an ounce for hops than he can get it on the internet? Looking at the OP's sig I can tell he is a hop head and has probably already used nearly 2 pounds this year on brewing IPA's. So now he should adjust his style preferences so that he can afford to purchase from his employer? Screw that!

Congrats! I've always thought it would be cool to work at the LHBS. 25% is a great discount. But everyone should realize if they gave you a bigger discount, it would apply to EVERYTHING in the store, and they might LOSE money by giving you a bigger discount on some items (such as the new kettle you were looking at). Again, congrats on your new gig, I'm sure you'll have a blast!