The guy at the LHBS got pissed-off?

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mikescooling

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I asked for 25ml vials that are rated for the autoclave. I was told "we sell to the home brewer" I'm thinking, sorry I asked. By the way Morebeer happily sold me everything I needed. Have you ever asked for something and they gave you the same look a dog dose when he's never heard a sound before?
 
I said it was for yeast farming with glycerin, maybe he was upset I would be spending less money in the store?
 
Same store, same person

1) asked for Ferm-Cap or something to help avoid boil overs. Was told to "turn the burner down"

2) asked for Calcium Chloride for mineral adjustments to the water. Was asked "what do you do that for?"

Needless to say, I don't shop there any more.
 
Perhaps he has a lot of yeast stock expiring and your quest to re-use yeast makes him wonder why bother buying the stuff? Not sure. I know homebrewer's have changed thanks to the internet. The older shopkeeper near me struggles with my line of questioning. It's kinda like how my doctor hates fielding questions I've read about on WebMD.
 
I have a similar issue to my "new" lhbs. I used to drive about 40 minutes across town to get stuff and then a shop opened up much closer to me. Every time I call to see if they have something in stock they seem to be doing me a favor answering my question. I called to see if they were open the friday after july 4 and the guy who answered was super sarcastic. I try to make a point of not shopping there but the distance to another alternative makes it tough.
 
Patirck said:
I have a similar issue to my "new" lhbs. I used to drive about 40 minutes across town to get stuff and then a shop opened up much closer to me. Every time I call to see if they have something in stock they seem to be doing me a favor answering my question. I called to see if they were open the friday after july 4 and the guy who answered was super sarcastic. I try to make a point of not shopping there but the distance to another alternative makes it tough.

Yeah, I don't put up with that crap. I will not give my business to a place that obviously doesn't care whether they have it or not.
I ran into this with a store where I used to get my supplies for work. Every time I went in, they treated me like I was an idiot, like I didn't know what I was talking about, and that they could barely be bothered to sell products to me. I stopped going and just ordered all my stuff through the Internet.
I'm glad my LHBS isn't like that.
 
Where I live there is the LHBS that's been around since 1971, and a new place that opened about a year ago. Both are about the same distance in opposite directions. When I got back into brewing last year, I read some online stories about how the older store talked down there nose to noobs. I didn't know about the new store yet, so went shopping with some trepidation. Suprisingly(?), everyone at the store was courteous if not downright helpful in getting me back into the fold.

Then I discovered the new place, smaller shop with less volume/selection but extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff. Everyone is welcomed with open arms, even if they just have questions and aren't ready to make the leap yet. They give a 10% discount to members of the two closest local homebrew clubs, and will happily order/stock anything you want if they don't have it.

No real point to my ramble I guess, just fortunate to have two good LHBSs within 20 miles.... :p
 
I love my LHBS.(brew and grow) They have 8 locations. There prices are good and they get new stock every week, the only thing i cant get from my location is white labs yeast and that's only because they don't have room in the fridge. Never once have i gotten any attitude from any of them but i also dont ask them brewing questions. I have hbt for that
 
I consider myself lucky to have a great LHBS within about a mile of my house.

He always has a good stock, sells a lot so the stuff is always fresh. Very knowlegable and helpful. Just how a LHBS should be.
 
What is it with these shop owners? I've received a few attitudes from LHBS owners, myself. I'm pretty sure if I had a shop, I would do everything in my power to kiss the customer's ass and keep them coming back. Morebeer is opening a facility on the east coast and that means two day shipping to pretty much everywhere. No more BS from the LHBS for me. :D
 
I buy bulk grain and try to use the local shop more than online vendors, but when the prices are crazy high as they are I tend to place a 2-3month order from morebeer with there supersaver shipping.

After working in retail for over 10 years, if I ever got that attitude walking into a small shop like that I would laugh in his face for his ignorance and walk out.
No need to make a big stink about it, just don't give him the business, people like that make their money of the ignorant and blind. Its sad....
 
The owner of JW Dover (& Black Box Brewing) is a really great guy. He even took time out of his brewing schedule one time to help push my car out of it's parking space to give me a jump so I could get back home (Westlake to Sheffield). He's a bearded guy that looks a bit younger than me & smokes cigars. Hummer H3 too with chrome & such. I love how they're willing to help & will discuss problems/theories with you. The head brewer fella did just that with me when the BB trade I did came in & I had questions about cleaning vs cracking. He was very willing to discuss his version of the problem with me. Not much heat on the normal strenght PBW solution & scrub it out & rinse quickly. No soaking as with other plastic fermenters was the answer. I really dug that a pro brewer would enjoy taking the time to discuss brewing related theories with me. Cool. :rockin:
 
Finally signed up here just to reply to this...

This is the reason I get my supplies at the LHBS in Woodland Hills. I work 5 mins from the shop in Culver City and drive by their new Eagle Rock shop every Friday. The older guy who works at both (probably the owner) is a jerk plain and simple. He snatched a paper bag out of my hand at the original shop because a "one pound bag is enough for one pound of grain". The larger bags were right above the grain bins, the smaller bags were over by the grain mill. Stupid me right!

A few weeks back I reluctantly stopped into the ER shop because it was late and needed a few things. As I walked in he was on the phone cursing out someone over a delivery. As soon as I saw his face I decided I was not spending another cent at either place.

On the other hand, everyone at HWBC shop has been a pleasure and they have better prices to boot.


I have a similar issue to my "new" lhbs. I used to drive about 40 minutes across town to get stuff and then a shop opened up much closer to me. Every time I call to see if they have something in stock they seem to be doing me a favor answering my question. I called to see if they were open the friday after july 4 and the guy who answered was super sarcastic. I try to make a point of not shopping there but the distance to another alternative makes it tough.
 
i am new to this hobby (started in January) But have always noticed the LHBS. Its in the odd part of town with the tattoo parlors, cell phone shops and record stores - yes real vinyl. About 3 years ago he moved into a shop 1/4 the size of his old one. Seemed odd to me because i figured it was a niche market.

After I started this hobby I decided to visit his shop. Its maybe a 12x20 storefront. Upon walking in i notched it was all mainly LME kits along with beginner bucket kits. They had all the scrub brushes and accessories. it was actually quite sad to see. He only had about 6 different grains and i can say many of you on here have a larger quantity than what he carried. In talking to him he seemed grumpy but we all have off days. He did allow me to order a one gallon kit but with a but interpretation. Then it took 3 weeks to get in.

I think the internet shops and the wide information out there has killed small local shops unable to keep up. Just like any business if you do not keep up with the latest in thing or keep keen to the knowledge that is available to your customer they will go else-wear. Its the knowledge of the homebrewer that I believe is perplexing many LHBS. They have had a store since the 70's and where at one time the only place to go. Now they are being left behind.
 
I feel fortunate to have the lhbs here in Vancouver Wa.
Bader beer and wine supplies. I havent had to substitute anything or need to special order anything yet.
 
My LHBS is kind of middle of the road. They owner is nice enough as long as you're not asking questions about brewing. I'd almost forgotten how annoying it was because I haven't askd him a question in quite some time. Then my wife and I were getting ready to bottle the wine kit that I got her for Christmas so we went in asking about corkers and the differences between the different kinds and since we only needed 30 bottles if we could split a box of 12 in half. He said no to the splitting the box, which was understandable (it was worth a shot), but the attitude he gave me for even suggesting it was pretty annoying. He also gave us quite the attitude when we decided to get the cheaper corker 'cause my wife wasn't sure if she wanted to keep doing wine making. I keep going there because he's close and I can usually get in and out without asking any questions, but I think it's eventually going to drive away the business of the newer brewers.
 
I once asked about adding vanilla flavor to a porter and the response was, "Why would I want to?" Uh because I want to and because I was buying every other ingredient from you should be good enough to not get the question.

Oh well, I still shop there because its close and have almost everything I need and I get a 10% discount from my home brew club, so it's hard to avoid.
 
We have 2 shops in town. The one I've been going to since 97 is pretty good. When I started, it was just the owner and he was pretty helpful. As he's grown, he isn't there as much and pretty much always has college guys on staff. UofA is right up the street. Many of those guys are taking courses at school related to brewing. Some of them are new to brewing, but all of them are enthusiastic and helpful.

I went in to the other store (which is way closer to my house) once. I did not like it at all and I noticed the guy running it was someone who gave me garbage info years before at my store.

I've only spent a couple dollars, for a few small pieces of equipment, over the net.
 
I dont care for my local shop very much. When I first started I bought everything there. Now as the years have past I buy fewer and fewer items there because the prices just can not compete with most on-line vendors. Since I started buying less and less in his shop he has a much different demeanor towards me. He actual said to another brewing buddy of mine when I wasnt there the... "your friends with that one guy... Yeah, he really pinches his pennies." Needless to say in his shop I do lol!
 
I have 2 stores within 3 miles of my work. Unfortunately one of them is really a hydroponics store with homebrew supplies and the other one is a beer store with homebrew supplies. I work for a small business and would gladly pay a bit more to buy local but the selection and assistance I can get from the big internet shops makes them the easy choice. I would love to have a lhbs that was truly a lhbs and nothing else.
 
ThatGeekGuy said:
Where I live there is the LHBS that's been around since 1971, and a new place that opened about a year ago. Both are about the same distance in opposite directions. When I got back into brewing last year, I read some online stories about how the older store talked down there nose to noobs. I didn't know about the new store yet, so went shopping with some trepidation. Suprisingly(?), everyone at the store was courteous if not downright helpful in getting me back into the fold.

Then I discovered the new place, smaller shop with less volume/selection but extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff. Everyone is welcomed with open arms, even if they just have questions and aren't ready to make the leap yet. They give a 10% discount to members of the two closest local homebrew clubs, and will happily order/stock anything you want if they don't have it.

No real point to my ramble I guess, just fortunate to have two good LHBSs within 20 miles.... :p

Which stores are u referring to? I just got into the hobby and always looking for new shops, specially close to my house.
 
The owner of JW Dover (& Black Box Brewing) is a really great guy. He even took time out of his brewing schedule one time to help push my car out of it's parking space to give me a jump so I could get back home (Westlake to Sheffield). He's a bearded guy that looks a bit younger than me & smokes cigars. Hummer H3 too with chrome & such. I love how they're willing to help & will discuss problems/theories with you. The head brewer fella did just that with me when the BB trade I did came in & I had questions about cleaning vs cracking. He was very willing to discuss his version of the problem with me. Not much heat on the normal strenght PBW solution & scrub it out & rinse quickly. No soaking as with other plastic fermenters was the answer. I really dug that a pro brewer would enjoy taking the time to discuss brewing related theories with me. Cool. :rockin:

I stopped shopping at JW because of the terrible service I get every time I went in. I have taken my business to Mike at Home Brew Ohio in Sandusky.
 
Yellowirenut said:
i am new to this hobby (started in January) But have always noticed the LHBS. Its in the odd part of town with the tattoo parlors, cell phone shops and record stores - yes real vinyl. About 3 years ago he moved into a shop 1/4 the size of his old one. Seemed odd to me because i figured it was a niche market.

After I started this hobby I decided to visit his shop. Its maybe a 12x20 storefront. Upon walking in i notched it was all mainly LME kits along with beginner bucket kits. They had all the scrub brushes and accessories. it was actually quite sad to see. He only had about 6 different grains and i can say many of you on here have a larger quantity than what he carried. In talking to him he seemed grumpy but we all have off days. He did allow me to order a one gallon kit but with a but interpretation. Then it took 3 weeks to get in.

I think the internet shops and the wide information out there has killed small local shops unable to keep up. Just like any business if you do not keep up with the latest in thing or keep keen to the knowledge that is available to your customer they will go else-wear. Its the knowledge of the homebrewer that I believe is perplexing many LHBS. They have had a store since the 70's and where at one time the only place to go. Now they are being left behind.

Are you from Fort Wayne by chance?
 
What is it with these shop owners? I've received a few attitudes from LHBS owners, myself. I'm pretty sure if I had a shop, I would do everything in my power to kiss the customer's ass and keep them coming back. Morebeer is opening a facility on the east coast and that means two day shipping to pretty much everywhere. No more BS from the LHBS for me. :D

Have you tried Weak knee in Pottstown? I know it's a bit of a drive, but they have always been good to me. The one on Gregg St. is almost useless except for some caps, or a pack of dry yeast once in a while.
 
Are you from Fort Wayne by chance?

yep.

There is another shop on Dupont. hops n harvest. Nice girl was running it when I stopped by. Better grain selection but its mainly a hydroponics shop.

Brewers art selection was just very lacking. To tell the truth the Do It hardware store in New Haven has the same Items.
 
The owner of JW Dover (& Black Box Brewing) is a really great guy. He even took time out of his brewing schedule one time to help push my car out of it's parking space to give me a jump so I could get back home (Westlake to Sheffield). He's a bearded guy that looks a bit younger than me & smokes cigars. Hummer H3 too with chrome & such. I love how they're willing to help & will discuss problems/theories with you. The head brewer fella did just that with me when the BB trade I did came in & I had questions about cleaning vs cracking. He was very willing to discuss his version of the problem with me. Not much heat on the normal strenght PBW solution & scrub it out & rinse quickly. No soaking as with other plastic fermenters was the answer. I really dug that a pro brewer would enjoy taking the time to discuss brewing related theories with me. Cool. :rockin:

Glad to hear good things about jw, I was thinking of trying to buy local from there or the new Cleveland brew shop but both are a drive from me and didn't want to go for bad service and poor selection
 
Cleveland Brew Shop has much better prices on yeast. Specialty grains are close at either, all in all I prefer CBS, but JW is a lot closer to me.
 
Finally signed up here just to reply to this...

This is the reason I get my supplies at the LHBS in Woodland Hills. I work 5 mins from the shop in Culver City and drive by their new Eagle Rock shop every Friday. The older guy who works at both (probably the owner) is a jerk plain and simple. He snatched a paper bag out of my hand at the original shop because a "one pound bag is enough for one pound of grain". The larger bags were right above the grain bins, the smaller bags were over by the grain mill. Stupid me right!

A few weeks back I reluctantly stopped into the ER shop because it was late and needed a few things. As I walked in he was on the phone cursing out someone over a delivery. As soon as I saw his face I decided I was not spending another cent at either place.

On the other hand, everyone at HWBC shop has been a pleasure and they have better prices to boot.


I'm 2 for 4 with the guys at Eagle Rock. Never been to the Culver City store. The young guy is pretty helpful, and there's a thin, taller fellow (middle aged) that's been really nice. But the balding guy and heavier guy with a beard and pony tail have both been a-holes on more than one occasion. Prices aren't that great either.

My latest purchases have been from MoreBeer and Farmhouse. About $150 that didn't go to the LHBS that's only 15 minutes from my house.

Too bad every other LHBS is so much farther away from me.
 
Finally signed up here just to reply to this...

This is the reason I get my supplies at the LHBS in Woodland Hills. I work 5 mins from the shop in Culver City and drive by their new Eagle Rock shop every Friday. The older guy who works at both (probably the owner) is a jerk plain and simple. He snatched a paper bag out of my hand at the original shop because a "one pound bag is enough for one pound of grain". The larger bags were right above the grain bins, the smaller bags were over by the grain mill. Stupid me right!

A few weeks back I reluctantly stopped into the ER shop because it was late and needed a few things. As I walked in he was on the phone cursing out someone over a delivery. As soon as I saw his face I decided I was not spending another cent at either place.

On the other hand, everyone at HWBC shop has been a pleasure and they have better prices to boot.

Oh man! When I saw the title of this thread I thought of the same guy! My sister-in-law lives right down the street (about 2 minutes away) from the Culver city shop. When I was in town last summer, I dropped in to check out the store. When I walked in, this guy was berating some poor guy for "putting the coriander in the same bag as the bitter orange." Really. That's the battle you want to fight with a new brewer? I inquired briefly about some hops that my LHBS didn't have in stock at the time, and was treated like a complete moron. I shrugged it off and left empty-handed.

About six months later, I dropped into the Eagle Rock store and the same guy was there. Same treatment. I feel fortunate to have a pretty good LHBS near me, and they are the only game in town.
 
I see no point in propping up businesses with sub par service and selection just because they pay rent near me. My online providers have been super helpful, friendly and cost effective.
 
Patirck said:
I have a similar issue to my "new" lhbs. I used to drive about 40 minutes across town to get stuff and then a shop opened up much closer to me. Every time I call to see if they have something in stock they seem to be doing me a favor answering my question. I called to see if they were open the friday after july 4 and the guy who answered was super sarcastic. I try to make a point of not shopping there but the distance to another alternative makes it tough.

Where's the new one? I'm going to guess (cause you live in Glendale) that the 40 min drive is to woodland hills?
 
BeerSlob said:
Finally signed up here just to reply to this...

This is the reason I get my supplies at the LHBS in Woodland Hills. I work 5 mins from the shop in Culver City and drive by their new Eagle Rock shop every Friday. The older guy who works at both (probably the owner) is a jerk plain and simple. He snatched a paper bag out of my hand at the original shop because a "one pound bag is enough for one pound of grain". The larger bags were right above the grain bins, the smaller bags were over by the grain mill. Stupid me right!

A few weeks back I reluctantly stopped into the ER shop because it was late and needed a few things. As I walked in he was on the phone cursing out someone over a delivery. As soon as I saw his face I decided I was not spending another cent at either place.

On the other hand, everyone at HWBC shop has been a pleasure and they have better prices to boot.

Love HWBC. Everyone there is not only helpful, but experienced brewers or vintners. Good place. Good people. Leave it to the Maltose Falcons to have a good shop as a home.
 
Same store, same person

1) asked for Ferm-Cap or something to help avoid boil overs. Was told to "turn the burner down"

2) asked for Calcium Chloride for mineral adjustments to the water. Was asked "what do you do that for?"

Needless to say, I don't shop there any more.

Did you shop in Omaha, NE? :mad:
 
I love my LHBS.(brew and grow) They have 8 locations. There prices are good and they get new stock every week, the only thing i cant get from my location is white labs yeast and that's only because they don't have room in the fridge. Never once have i gotten any attitude from any of them but i also dont ask them brewing questions. I have hbt for that

Glynn - if you ever want/need White Labs yeast, The Home Brew Shop in St. Charles stocks it (they don't stock Wyeast). Most of the employees are pretty helpful in answering any questions or trouble shooting problems. Their prices can be a bit higher than B&G on some items, but not by much. If you have not been there, it is worth checking out just in case you are looking for something that B&G may not have.
 
My LHBS is pretty good. They serve beer they brew so it's nice to try a brew and buy the ingredients if you like it. Overall they are friendly and knowledgable so I go back when I need something. I have another LHBS that is closer but more expensive and not very helpful. If you have a good one close by, frequent them and enjoy the local service

Toy4rick
 
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