I frequent about 3 different LHBS in the Chicago area (I know I'm lucky to be out and about for work a lot and it's nice we have a lot of options in Chicago).
I grabbed some misc stuff totaling about $35. While he was ringing me up i tried to strike up a conversation with the guy by asking if he had any plans for the AHA big brew day (I've gotten at least one email from another LHBS describing their plans for an instore group brew, with free food and homebrew swap), but his reply was "I have know idea what you're talking about." I went on to explain it but he cut me off midstride and explained that:
"he works the store for up to 60hrs a week 6 days a week and doesn't have time for all the clubs and competitions and stuff. Additionally he already brews twice a week and that's more than enough. He also went on to explain that he doesn't like sharing his brew or giving out samples because he doesn;t think its real good and sometimes even after 5 years at it it still doesn't always turn out. I mentioned dropping a plug for him on HBT he mentioned that he stays away from all the "online crap, the boards and such***"
WOW - I wished him luck and left, probably to never return.
In the case of the AHA Big Brew I would think it's a great opportunity to get more people into your place of business and increase your sales.
He's a newer owner and younger guy, but I'd think a LHBS is definately one of the types of businesses that if you're going to get into it you need to eat, sleep and breathe, brewing and all it's related events.
He did also mention that by head count he gets about 2-3X as many brewers as wine guys, but the wine guys spend about 10X as mich as the brewers, maybe that's the source of his lax attitude regarding brew related events.
***Disclaimer, not a direct, verbatim quote, but the general gist of a 10minute discussion.
I grabbed some misc stuff totaling about $35. While he was ringing me up i tried to strike up a conversation with the guy by asking if he had any plans for the AHA big brew day (I've gotten at least one email from another LHBS describing their plans for an instore group brew, with free food and homebrew swap), but his reply was "I have know idea what you're talking about." I went on to explain it but he cut me off midstride and explained that:
"he works the store for up to 60hrs a week 6 days a week and doesn't have time for all the clubs and competitions and stuff. Additionally he already brews twice a week and that's more than enough. He also went on to explain that he doesn't like sharing his brew or giving out samples because he doesn;t think its real good and sometimes even after 5 years at it it still doesn't always turn out. I mentioned dropping a plug for him on HBT he mentioned that he stays away from all the "online crap, the boards and such***"
WOW - I wished him luck and left, probably to never return.
In the case of the AHA Big Brew I would think it's a great opportunity to get more people into your place of business and increase your sales.
He's a newer owner and younger guy, but I'd think a LHBS is definately one of the types of businesses that if you're going to get into it you need to eat, sleep and breathe, brewing and all it's related events.
He did also mention that by head count he gets about 2-3X as many brewers as wine guys, but the wine guys spend about 10X as mich as the brewers, maybe that's the source of his lax attitude regarding brew related events.
***Disclaimer, not a direct, verbatim quote, but the general gist of a 10minute discussion.