Weird Comments at the LHBS

I would love to have a LHBS anywhere nearby. The closest one is 3 and a half hours away and the next closer one is 4 and a half hours away. It's also pretty hard to get decent beers here at the beach. Although i did find a grocery store about 30 mins. away that has some Rogues, a nice selection of Unibroue's, Languita's (sp?) and Hobgoblin. So, anyway, I'd love to be able to get any type of supplies without having to wait a week and pay shipping. I'd even be ok with some local stoned salesman berating me while i was in the store.

humann_brewing said:

I got the same lax attitude at my LHBS. I go in there all pumped up about brewing and buying this stuff and try asking questions that are brewing related and I just get this feeling like he doesn't even care and just wants me to get out of the store. This attitude combined with their outrageous prices is why I don't go there anymore and the fact that they are only open until 4:30 mon - fri and a few hours on Saturday.

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Where in central Cali are you from?

There are four places around me to purchase home brewing supplies. Two of them are extremely basic and are run out of other businesses so I don't take them too seriously. One is out of an orchard (go figure) and the other is out of a microbrewery (only the basics).

The other two are nice shops. One is run by a guy who is really more into making vine, but he does his best to answer questions about beer. He has a good selection, not wonderful, but good and he attends the local homebrew club meetings when he can - he brings wine to sample instead of beer. Nice to try something different.

The second shop I take seriously is run by a guy who loves brewing, as well as the other hobbies in his hobby shop. He is throwing a Big Brew Day party. I think he is giving ingredients away to our club members. He sells a lot of stuff at cost, no markup, and will deliver to monthly meetings if you let him know ahead of time.

smizak said:

I thank my lucky stars everytime I walk into Niagara Tradition, my LHBS.

Niagara Traditions Homebrew Supply : Welcome to Niagara Traditions Homebrew Supply

It's literally 5 minutes away from me. I could forget hops, yeast and a freakin fermenter if I wanted too, drive there and be back at home before the mash is halfway done. Great people who know brewing and are involved with their customers. Great holiday parties, instructive classes, zero attitude.

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I agree: Becky &co are awesome. Are you in a club? I just emailed the NAH list about Big Brew Day today and she responded quickly, saying she had forgotten to register but had just done it.

It's a great opportunity for store owners to get awareness and business (I always see tons of people walking out with starter kits), for new people to learn how the hobby goes and for those of us already knee-deep in the obsession to have fun with like-minded people. If an LHBS owner isn't interested in it then they're a damn fool.

+1 to Niagara Traditions. I just wish they were a little closer.

I have to plan my batches well ahead when I make a trip there or I go too far overboard.

Sigafoos said:

I agree: Becky &co are awesome. Are you in a club? I just emailed the NAH list about Big Brew Day today and she responded quickly, saying she had forgotten to register but had just done it.

It's a great opportunity for store owners to get awareness and business (I always see tons of people walking out with starter kits), for new people to learn how the hobby goes and for those of us already knee-deep in the obsession to have fun with like-minded people. If an LHBS owner isn't interested in it then they're a damn fool.

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I'm not currently in a club, I should get more involved. I can't believe how many brewers are around Buffalo, it's been quite an eye-opener.

I just read your sig. Congrats on your medal. My pale ale took a silver as well at AWOG.

I'm one of the lucky ones with 2 good homebrew shops close by. The grape and grainary is like 15 minutes away, and they have a huge selection of grain. Plus you give them your grainbill and they get it all, mill it for you, and bring it out to you.

Then leener's is like 25 minutes away, and on the way home from work. Used cornies for $35, and a pretty good selection on equipment. I'll go to either one, depending on whether I'm on my way home from work, or already at home. Both are very friendly.

Hey Chicago-brewers, my lhbs is Bev-Art in the southwest portion of the city (101st and Western) and I really like it, fwiw.

Jim

bgough said:

Where in central Cali are you from?

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Fresno 890

Pappers said:

Hey Chicago-brewers, my lhbs is Bev-Art in the southwest portion of the city (101st and Western) and I really like it, fwiw.

Jim

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Yeah, I lke them well enough and have been there a couple of times. It's still quicker for me to go to B&G near work. I hate fighting the traffic to get from OFO to Beverly.

IrregularPulse said:

I've heard good things of this store from my friends father who live in Cincy. It's where he gets everything. i plan on giving it a stop in sometime when we're down visiting. Do they have Brew on premise by chance?

I see they just got a license to brew and sell! Very cool.

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I haven't seen signs or anything saying that they have Brew on premise so I'm not sure about that. It's not a real tidy shop. It's kind of like a general store inside and I like that too. Seems like I always smell grains cooking when I'm there. I haven't tried any of their beers yet, it's not in the brew budget.
We went to another HBS on the east side of town a couple weeks ago called Paradise. There were three people working the floor and they were gathered around some guy that was blabbering on about his brew. They didn't seem to notice us and we felt invisible so we left and won't be back. That's the part I don't like about specialty type stores that have a social environment. They make you feel like you don't belong there because you're not one of "them".

You know opening a small business isn't easy (ask anyone who has tried) and it's possible that the guy was just having a bad day. No matter how much you like what you do for a living there are going to be days that just suck, and times where you have second thoughts about what you are doing for a living.

I opened a small business a year and half ago giving music lessons. I love teaching music, I love talking about music, especially with the more advanced students, but there are some days that I just can't stand. Some students just arn't that into it, and that ends up being a miserable half hour.

I can also tell you from experiance that you can go out of the way for your customers, and a lot of them don't return the favor. I had one old lady run off with two of my books, and never bothered paying a lesson.

I guess my point is that running a small business is hard, business owners deal with jerky customers all the time, and maybe you should cut the guy a break.

GuitarBob said:

You know opening a small business isn't easy (ask anyone who has tried) and it's possible that the guy was just having a bad day. No matter how much you like what you do for a living there are going to be days that just suck, and times where you have second thoughts about what you are doing for a living.

I opened a small business a year and half ago giving music lessons. I love teaching music, I love talking about music, especially with the more advanced students, but there are some days that I just can't stand. Some students just arn't that into it, and that ends up being a miserable half hour.

I can also tell you from experiance that you can go out of the way for your customers, and a lot of them don't return the favor. I had one old lady run off with two of my books, and never bothered paying a lesson.

I guess my point is that running a small business is hard, business owners deal with jerky customers all the time, and maybe you should cut the guy a break.

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So true...
I owned and operated a small electronics repair shop back in the 90's with another tech as partner, and as much as i used to love repairing amps and radios and such, i will only tell you that im glad im not doing that for a living anymore.

GuitarBob said:

You know opening a small business isn't easy (ask anyone who has tried) and it's possible that the guy was just having a bad day. No matter how much you like what you do for a living there are going to be days that just suck, and times where you have second thoughts about what you are doing for a living.

I guess my point is that running a small business is hard, business owners deal with jerky customers all the time, and maybe you should cut the guy a break.

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I think everyone admits that bad days happen. However bitching about a 60 hour work week to your customers is not having a bad day but rather an attitude problem. I would get fired so fast if i ever spoke like that so he wont get sympathy from me.

If you don't like brewing/winemaking don't work at a LHBS. I would die for the opportunity to work part time there on weekends where i would get paid for doing pretty much what we all do here online for free... talk with people who are interested with our hobby.

I worked retail from the age of 15 to now and can expect to work retail until I'm out of collage. I have ridiculous stories of dumb ass costumers that i had to smile to and try and help.

Lady: Hello do you work here.
Me: {Dressed in a dorky uniform that clearly says Lobe in 5 or 6 places} Yes.
Lady: Oh great where are your hacksaws.
Me: Sorry we don't carry hacksaws.
Lady: Well why not your a grocery store aren't you.

Just be polite and laugh about it later. That's all anybody asks. I'm not expecting a store owner to bow down and kiss my feet but a little respect would be nice.

bsruther said:

I haven't seen signs or anything saying that they have Brew on premise so I'm not sure about that.

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It mentions on their website how they just started it.

Yeah they sell beer in store.

Well either he saw the light or he read this post. Here's a portion of an email from them I just recieved this morning:

We are pleased to announce that we will be celebrating National Homebrew Day by participating in the American Homebrewers Associations "Big Brew". National Homebrew Day is Saturday, May 2nd.

The best way to participate in Big Brew, the AHA's annual celebration of National Homebrew Day, is by doing what you love: brewing beer with your friends! Best of all, you'll be joining thousands of other homebrewers celebrating all over the world!

On National Homebrew Day in 2008, 4,000 people across 6 continents participated in Big Brew, and approximately 10,500 gallons were brewed. Let's help break that record!

We invite you to come celebrate with us as we will be participating by brewing an all-grain AHA recipe for "SS Minnow Mild Ale" on Saturday, May 2nd between noon and 5 pm. If you have been thinking about making the jump to all-grain brewing, it will be a great opportunity to see it done first hand. You are also welcome to just come in and try a sample of beer we've brewed in-store.

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