Homebrew stores

[Goodbuddiesbrewing]

Hey guys,

So I'm writing a business plan for a college course and need to do some research for the paper. I love to brew and figured i would write my plan on something that I enjoy doing and make it fun.

Any ways. I have a few questions for every one:

What ingredients do you brew with most often that you purchase from a homebrew store? Please be specific. (What kinds/types of: grains, malts, extracts, hops, yeast, ect.)

What do you buy online that you wish a local store sold? (both ingredients and equipment)

What do you wish your local store sold, but is too expensive/ don't want to buy online?

Is a functional website important to you, regarding a local store?

Would you participate if your local store held quarterly homebrew competitions?

If you have anything else you have to add about local stores, comments, concerns, suggestions, please feel free to add more!

Thanks in advance, all!

 

[1stTimer]

1. Grains
2. Can't think of anything the LHBS doesnt sell.
3. same as 2
4. Depends on distance I have to drive tog et to store. Currently I dont use their website since its only a 30 min drive.
5. yes

 

[kpr121]

Hey guys,

So I'm writing a business plan for a college course and need to do some research for the paper. I love to brew and figured i would write my plan on something that I enjoy doing and make it fun.
Any ways. I have a few questions for every one:

What ingredients do you brew with most often that you purchase from a homebrew store? Please be specific. (grains, malts, extracts, hops, yeast, ect.) Bulk 2 Row is usually the only thing I actually go into my LHBS to buy, but I end up picking up a couple lbs of specialty malts I am running low on, same with hops. I do seem to purchase a lot of fittings, tubing, etc. because its easier to look at in person to figure out what I actually need.

What do you buy online that you wish a local store sold? (both ingredients and equipment)Hmm, my store seems to have everything, it is just usually cheaper to buy online

What do you wish your local store sold, but is too expensive/ don't want to buy online?Cheap hops by the lb, somewhere in the $10-15/lb range

Is a functional website important to you, regarding a local store?Not really, as long as it has updated info on business hours, contact information, and maybe a new products and specials section

Would you participate if your local store held quarterly homebrew competitions?Yes

If you have anything else you have to add about local stores, comments, concerns, suggestions, please feel free to add more! I think the biggest issue I have with my LHBS is the customer service. Often times when I go in there they either seem not to care, or that my business is just not that important to them. Like if they are out of a product they dont take initiative to get it in and let me know, they just say "Nope were out of that." Why deal with that hassle when I can order online from AHS and have my stuff delivered in a few days, at a cheaper price, and free shipping over $100?

Thanks in advance, all!

Good luck!

 

[brettwasbtd]

A local store that had an active website which had a real-time inventory feature would be awesome! So I could check that the ingredients I want are available. This would require a solid website with access to your stores inventory database, but I think would be something that not many LHBS have. Could be a good point in your business plan.

A lot of people visit local stores for the commraderie, knowledge, supporting local business etc. most often than not, the online stores are cheaper. So a LHBS needs to be operating with a different niche in mind

 

[rifraf]

The option to purchase exact quantities of grains, extract, hops etc would be awesome. Even better would be an option on the website to put in a recipe and show up to the store to have everything packaged on the sizes I want.

(Can understand how that isn't feasible for a business but if I'm dreaming...)

 

[Whippy]

What ingredients do you brew with most often that you purchase from a homebrew store? Please be specific. (What kinds/types of: grains, malts, extracts, hops, yeast, ect.) American: 2-row malt, white wheat. English: pale malts, chocolate malts, roasted barley, crystal malts. German Munich malts, pilsner malts, vienna malt ... bulk hops

I usually buy Wyeast smack packs or white labs vials. Sometimes I buy Safale US-05 dry yeast... sometimes nottingham

What do you buy online that you wish a local store sold? (both ingredients and equipment)
large nylon brew bags (for BIAB), Wyeast yeast

What do you wish your local store sold, but is too expensive/ don't want to buy online? I'm not sure I understand this question, but something I buy at the store that I don't buy online is yeast nutrients/yeast energizers. I also buy my airlocks from the local store. I will buy bulk grains local but not specialty grains.

Is a functional website important to you, regarding a local store? yes, certainly. a website is a very convenient way to check prices.

Would you participate if your local store held quarterly homebrew competitions? maybe from time to time

If you have anything else you have to add about local stores, comments, concerns, suggestions, please feel free to add more!

I would shop my local store every time I bought homebrew supplies if their prices were lower. I would not mind paying more than online prices, but not twice as much.

Thanks in advance, all! my pleasure

 

[kpr121]

The option to purchase exact quantities of grains, extract, hops etc would be awesome. Even better would be an option on the website to put in a recipe and show up to the store to have everything packaged on the sizes I want.

(Can understand how that isn't feasible for a business but if I'm dreaming...)

Recipe input is feasible, doesnt brewmasterswarehouse do it?

 

[brettwasbtd]

Recipe input is feasible, doesnt brewmasterswarehouse do it?

They sure do! This is probably my Number 1 reason for buying the majority of my recipes from them. I can buy a couple different recipes at a time and they all come pre-measured and vacuum sealed in indivual bags for different recipes.

 

[Bheher]

1.2-row, crystal malts, and citrus American hops (3-c's)
2. Vacuum sealed hop bags.
3. Nothing.
4. Yes I sometime looks at prices before I go to the store.
5. Sometimes

 

[rifraf]

Recipe input is feasible, doesnt brewmasterswarehouse do it?

They sure do! This is probably my Number 1 reason for buying the majority of my recipes from them. I can buy a couple different recipes at a time and they all come pre-measured and vacuum sealed in indivual bags for different recipes.

Awesome! Thanks guys

 

[Teromous]

I always wonder if these 1st time poster, college research papers, are really just an ad agency or one of the already established online homebrew stores just gathering info...

Welcome to the forum btw.

 

[angle228]

References in the store that I can used to figure out reasonable substitutions for the things the store does not have in stock.

 

[stbnj]

Someone else posted this up and its a great idea. At their LHBS they can buy grain in "bulk" but it stays at the store. They prepay for say 50 pounds come in when they need it and just get it reduced from the amount they purchased. My LHBS is about 30 minutes away so I try to get there but sometimes if I need to order other things I order grain online at the same time. But if I had 50 pounds I paid for at the LHBS I would probably make my way there more often.

 

[kpr121]

Someone else posted this up and its a great idea. At their LHBS they can buy grain in "bulk" but it stays at the store. They prepay for say 50 pounds come in when they need it and just get it reduced from the amount they purchased. My LHBS is about 30 minutes away so I try to get there but sometimes if I need to order other things I order grain online at the same time. But if I had 50 pounds I paid for at the LHBS I would probably make my way there more often.

Thats a pretty good idea if you dont have a mill. I do, so I have no problem taking my grains home with me. Two homer buckets hold it perfectly.

 

[C-Rider]

I buy all my grain at the LHBS unless I need something they don't have, but "my" guy has at least 35 different grains that I can buy as much or as little as needed.

Dry Yeast and hops I've been buying online as even w/the added postage It's cheaper on line.

 

[Dean Palmer]

1. I buy everything I can from the local shop if they have it in stock. In my case that means bulk base malts, common grains, yeast, hops, bottle caps, some chemicals, and adjuncts. If the shop across town has something the close one doesn't, I may drive over. I also suggest to the local shop that they carry some things that most of us consider basics, but in many cases they have never heard of. Our local shop just doesn't have an expert or advanced brewer on staff and my suggestions won't change what they do any time soon.

2. I buy anything online that my local shop doesn't have as shipping actually costs me less than driving to the next shop across the bay. This can be hardware, plumbing parts, tubing, specialty grains, varieties of hops, kegs, kettles, pumps, etc. I wish my local store carried a full line of supplies and equipment but they don't, just basic ingredients which is why a lot of folks go to the one that is farther away or buy online.

3. If it is "too expensive," online is usually where I find it as I can get free shipping and pay no sales tax most of the time. Most local shops sell at full retail list and then I pay 7% sales tax and burn a lot of fossil fuel to get there.

4. If a business does not have a functional website in 2012, it is probably a place that is behind the times and far behind in filling my needs. The local shop is a perfect example, they have some basics but their limited stock pushes me elsewhere for many specific needs.

5. I wouldn't waste time on quarterly competitions from a single store. Maybe a yearly competition with AHA sanctioning.

 

[Airplanedoc]

I didn't read every post so it may have been mentioned.

A nice room/lounge for Local club meetings.

Something my semilocal shop does is they will special order most anything I need, as long as they can get it on their regular truck, no extra shipping charges so the price is usually comparable to Midwest and Northern Brewer with no shipping fees. On wine kits this is a huge savings.

Also Don't forget to include Wine Kits, a majority of the equipment is the same, but it opens you up to another similar clientele.

A website where I order, you pick, charge, fill and I walk in grab my bag/box etc and go would be great for me.