I'm done with the LHBS

It started about a month ago when i purchased about 30 lbs of specialty grains through the grain card the LHBS does. Its 55 lbs of grain for $55 and he just marks it off as you get it. Well i get base grain from a local brewery so i just needed specialty grain. I know it cost them more but they should specify if they are worried about that. So after a little bit**ing i left with the grain. Today i went in and first thing he said was, " you here for some more spcialty grain. " I said know i just needed some tubing. 5 ft for $7, no big deal i need the tubing now. Then my card doesn't swip so he bit**es about having to punch in the numbers for just $7. The whole time he is just giving me attitude. This just pissed me off and i'm done. I have been buying from this store for 7 years but know i'm going strickly online. Sorry for the rant!

Was the guy working there the owner of the store?

Feedback is KEY for customer service issues. I'd leave a polite (I don't mean that sarcastically) message for the owner saying that you've been a customer for 7 years, but the service your getting is making you want to terminate your relationship with the store.

Oh, and I worked retail for over 4 years straight, punching numbers is not hard! Sure, I was annoyed when I had to punch a customers card number every time they came in because they were too lazy to order a free replacement, but it really isn't that difficult.

Yes he is the owner. I really think he is mad because i took advantage of the grain card. But they never said you can't do it so.

http://brewmasterswarehouse.com/

Ed will take care of you.

seems to me that he would want to sell his specialty grain since the margin is higher on that product...and if its not, then hes doing it wrong LOL

Sounds like an asshat. He's had your $55 for how long?

I would go in there every few days for 4 pounds of various specialty grains till the card is used up and make notes of each visit and post them in a special thread dedicated to him here on HBT, then point him to it on your last visit ever.

The grain card is a great idea as it's win win. Brewers get a discount and the LHBS gets the money up front. At the same time, they get a chance to sell something every time they come in to pick up their grain for a batch. Of course if they act like asshats and basically say "Oh great, another stupid customer" when someone walks in the door, then they won't be in business for long.

Good LHBS know their customers by name and welcome their business every time even if it is just hanging out for a chat about beer or buying a $6 ball lock connection or a $400 Blichmann Boilermaker. One never knows what the customer will buy when they walk in the door, but if they are treated with contempt, they don't deserve any business IMHO.

Its not like i only go in there to get specialty grain. Its pretty often that i go in and buy $30 worth of stuff i really could do without. But no more. Its strickly online for me.

For a $1/pound for specialty grain the guy could call me a mother****er every time I walked in the door. I'd call him one back and leave with my cheap ass grain and a smile on my face.

(I pay $2-2.40/pound for specialty grain but I get great service)

Was that in Oak Harbor or up in Anacortes?

If you ever get down to Everett, Homebrew Heaven is a great place. You can order online from them as well and since they're close, you'll probably get it faster than ordering across the country. Plus, they're a sponsor last I knew.

I would have a tough time not picking up only specialty grain at $1 a pound. I pay more than that when I buy full bags of it. At my HBS I pay over $2 for all of my specialty grains and $1.50 for base grains when I have not had the foresight to order them in bulk elsewhere.

Of course if I were the owner I would be changing that policy quickly if I felt people were taking advantage of me with it. It is not win-win if he is losing $.30 for every pound of specialty grain that you take. My HBS pays $1.30 / lb for his crystal malts.

He charges over $2 for specialty grain, execpt when i go in with the grain card. All i will say is there is no store in Oak Harbor. There is a great beer store here and they have great customer service.

dontman said:

Of course if I were the owner I would be changing that policy quickly if I felt people were taking advantage of me with it. It is not win-win if he is losing $.30 for every pound of specialty grain that you take. My HBS pays $1.30 / lb for his crystal malts.

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The LHBS owner should have thought about that when he created his program for it and took $55 for a card.

I buy grain in bulk and have never paid over $1 for specialty grains. Our group buys them 55# at a time and splits them up. The most expensive imported ones cost only about 70 cents a pound when purchased in bulk.

Watch for posts from Jaybird...he is a great vendor on this site and ships things in a timely manner, anywhere. Not to mention he has some screamin deals that he posts only on HBT. Right now he is offering up just under 1 pound of simcoe hops for $25.00...a steal. I pick one up from him, great guy to do business with. Check him out.

dontman said:

I would have a tough time not picking up only specialty grain at $1 a pound. I pay more than that when I buy full bags of it. At my HBS I pay over $2 for all of my specialty grains and $1.50 for base grains when I have not had the foresight to order them in bulk elsewhere.

Of course if I were the owner I would be changing that policy quickly if I felt people were taking advantage of me with it. It is not win-win if he is losing $.30 for every pound of specialty grain that you take. My HBS pays $1.30 / lb for his crystal malts.

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Yes he should change the policy. I know he is not paying $1.30 / lb for crystal. I don't think he is losing money just not making money. He shouldn't take it out on me, its his policy. I'm just taking advantage of it. I wish i knew how much i would have saved buying online the last 7 years. I wanted to support the LHBS until this sh@t happened.

DrinksWellWithOthers said:

For a $1/pound for specialty grain the guy could call me a mother****er every time I walked in the door. I'd call him one back and leave with my cheap ass grain and a smile on my face.

(I pay $2-2.40/pound for specialty grain but I get great service)

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Who do you buy from? The Witches Brew? Steve does give great service, though his hours suck.

name the store. I'd be happy to call and talk to him about this issue....

homebeerbrewer said:

Who do you buy from? The Witches Brew? Steve does give great service, though his hours suck.

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Yep, The Witches Brew. I was there tonight picking some things up for a Saison. Yeah he's not exactly open a whole lot but I don't really mind his hours. I plan around them and usually have enough stuff in stock for my next 2 or 3 brews. I just wish his grain, both base and specialty, was a little lower in price. I've picked up sacks of Marris Otter the last couple times I needed base malt to save a few bucks and got a discount so that was pretty good.

Do you have a brewery near by. You could always ask them to order you a bag or 2. They just charge me a couple bucks over there cost. Works out pretty good execpt i don't need 55 lbs of crystal.

so i'm looking through the BrewCraft catalog which my LHBS uses and he paid $25.74 for a roll of 100 ft of the tubing that i paid $7 for 5 ft. Thats a pretty good mark up.

tarheels said:

so i'm looking through the BrewCraft catalog which my LHBS uses and he paid $25.74 for a roll of 100 ft of the tubing that i paid $7 for 5 ft. Thats a pretty good mark up.

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Well he is in business to make a profit. He could sell it for $3 a foot if he wanted to. Being competitive is another thing.

Micromatic sells beer line for 80 cents a foot. You as a customer have a choice here. Pay more for convenience and abuse and get it today, or save money and buy online and get later this week without the scorn.