What do you love about your LHBS?

[TangoHotel]

I actually *don't* visit my LHBS very often, and perhaps my reasons will be helpful to other owners.

They're nice enough guys, it's a big, clean store, and the prices are reasonable. But all that means nothing to me if they don't have Magnum or Crystal 80 or WLP833 whatever it is I happen to need that day. Early on in my brewing adventure, I got burned a couple of times by planning an exciting brew day on the weekend, then taking the trip to the LHBS to pick up my supplies, only to find they didn't have many of the ingredients I needed. So I've learned instead to plan ahead and order online from a bigger shop, farther away, with much better selection.

I'd much rather shop locally, for many reasons. They're nice guys and I'd like to support them, and I'm even willing to pay slightly higher prices for the convenience and to save shipping costs. But if they don't have EVERYTHING that I need, then that means I'm going to have to order at least some of my ingredients online anyway, so why would I pay the shipping of an online order, AND take an hour out of my day to drive to the LHBS? I might as well just order the whole thing online and have it waiting for me on my front porch 2 days later.

So that's what I do.

So my advice: Carry a broad selection of ingredients, as broad as possible. I don't need the lowest prices, or someone to hold my hand, I just need you to have the grains/hops/yeast I need.

Can you call them ahead to see if they can order it? It may not be ideal calling weeks ahead of time, but it could keep you local and show your LHBS there is a demand for those items. In a pinch, it won't work. I understand. But if you know you need something maybe that will help.

 

[MadCnty]

I like the fact that #1) They have two of their beer kits on tap for samples...
#2) They have a group that meets every other Friday, (I have to work tho... ) so you can discuss techniques etc... And #3) The owner is a BJCP judge, so who better to critique your home brews...
Oh and I can call in an order and they will have it ready for the SWMBO to pick up...

 

[JohnnyO]

My LHBS is Northern Brewer. Occasionally I go to Midwest Supplies. And I frequent Austin Homebrew when I feel like it. Alas, there is no L in my HBS, as I'm located in Northwest Alabama.

hahaha. I was going to say, "this guy must live on the corner of Main Street and the Internet."

For me, aside from location, it's important for the LHBS to have competitive prices. If I can get the ingredients for a 5 gallon batch $20 cheaper after shipping by shopping online, that's a steep climb. You will have to have one kickass personality for me to come in for anything more than the emergency hydrometer purchase.

 

[gingerdawg]

My LHBS is Northern Brewer. Occasionally I go to Midwest Supplies. And I frequent Austin Homebrew when I feel like it. Alas, there is no L in my HBS, as I'm located in Northwest Alabama.

My two LHBSs really are Northern Brewer and Midwest....

 

[DrunkleJon]

Customer loyalty programs are nice. My HBS does a 1 point earned per dollar spent and every X points get $Y off when you decide to cash them in. Makes me feel special.

The knowledge to tell me I am being a ******* and help me figure out where the particular hop/specialty grain I want is when I am all distracted by the selection of grains/shiny new toys on the shelves and coolers of hops/yeast.

I also appreciate that my HBS has several CO2 tanks for tradeins (I think they just do bulk swaps with Roberts Oxygen), though I would really appreciate finding a place that has reasonable refill prices. I mean the only place I can get my 15# filled costs ~$40 and my 5# is over $23 for a refill, where the tradein for a 5# is $19.99 and they will only do tradeins on 5/10/20#ers. Makes me sad about owning a 15#.

The fact that mine is also in the process of installing bulk bins makes me happy as well, and the ability to buy by the sack. Wouldn't mind if they had a bulletin board/book where customers can swap equipment/arrange bulk buys through the HBS, though that is probably more the responsibility of HB Clubs.

 

[mysteryshrimp]

I have two: Brewmasters Warehouse and Muskedines.

Brewmasters:
I love the grain selection. They are right down the street from a Carlson warehouse, so their specialty grains are usually readily available. Only once have they not been able to fill my grain bill, and even then they were able to make a decent substitution. Their prices on hops are incredible, especially if you go for the ones they offer in 8 oz packs. However, they are quite often out of little things like crowns and hop bags. Also, they have an issue with being "out" (for 6 months) of certain things that you can still place an order for on the website. I love that they have a brew club that meets in the store after hours. I love that every person that works there is a home brewer and that the manager usually makes it to club brew days. I love that you can place an order on the website and pick it up at the store. I love the 10% discount code, but I wish that I could choose that and then pay cash.

Muskedines:
Pretty much a one person operation, and he's trying his hardest. He is mainly a wine maker, but the shop caters well to beer guys. He makes at least two trips to the Carlson warehouse a week, so if you let him know a couple of days in advance, he can get any grain. His crush is better than Brewmasters. I can usually get 5% higher efficiency from him. His equipment is cheaper, but ingredients are a bit more expensive, even with my "best customer" discount. And every once in a while I get some bonus, like 8 lbs of Maris Otter that was crushed 6 weeks ago but never picked up or a bag of DME with a small hole in it. I do wish that he was open on Mondays, but it is pretty much one guy there all the time.

I usually get equipment, simple grain bills, and dry yeast from Muskedines. More involved recipes, hops, and liquid yeasts I get from Brewmasters.

 

[Anelda]

About the only two things?

The fact that I can order everything online and then walk into the store and pick it up completely ready. Also, their prices are good. It's cheaper than ordering online.
However, the store is crowded, cramped, largely disorganized, and kind of dingy. The owners would rather just have you order online and pick up than have you mill about and not know what you want. They also have no interest in helping anyone out with recipes and they most certainly don't want to talk to you. My first experience there was less than stellar even though I went in knowing exactly what I wanted. I keep going back due to convenience of location and the prices.

We do have another one kind of close in Sanford, FL and that's a wonderful little shop. The owners are great guys, the store is clean, airy, and well organized. They're always willing to have a conversation and willing to help out. But, it's in Sanford and Sanford is a little out of the way unless we want to eat lunch at Willow Tree (authentic German cafe) or visit my in-laws. I love the fact that they're open on Sundays as well. I just wish they had an online inventory so I'd know prices and well... inventory before making the trip out there.

 

[Jaybird]

WOW the feed back here is KILLER!! You guys are giving me some great advise, ideas and solutions! You have know idea how helpful this thread is to me and I am sure (hopefully for your sake) other LHBS owners.

Keep em coming you guys! I see a few changes being implemented at Nor Cal Brewing Solutions.....

Cheers
Jay

 

[mkringii]

I really like it when I frequent a business and the staff make it a point to remember my name. My staff is great at this! I love hearing them talk to customers like they are friends, well because they are!
I have always been reluctant to put beers on tap as its no legal to do, but we are starting to realize we need to do this as well. We are going to take it a step further and just put in a 3BBL brewery and tap house.

Thanks for all the comments guys. All of us LHBS owners can all learn from this.

Cheers
Jay

Did ya check your local laws? (Seems silly to ask) but ive been to lhbs in 5 states and all had samples on tap.. No larger than 3oz and no more than 4 samples i believe..

Personal help and remembering me is huge.. Neither my lhbs have a reward program but i would love to have that.. Specially since i have spent over $800 there in last 6 months or so.. And would spend more if they carried some of the personal stainless parts you can only get from the big retailers on line (i.e. cam locks, npt oxygen stone, etc..)

 

[Jaybird]

Did ya check your local laws? (Seems silly to ask) but ive been to lhbs in 5 states and all had samples on tap.. No larger than 3oz and no more than 4 samples i believe..

Personal help and remembering me is huge.. Neither my lhbs have a reward program but i would love to have that.. Specially since i have spent over $800 there in last 6 months or so.. And would spend more if they carried some of the personal stainless parts you can only get from the big retailers on line (i.e. cam locks, npt oxygen stone, etc..)

I did. They told me that there is no law allowing the pouring of home made beer in any public business without a license. That license they told me is a type 23 and we all know what that is... We do allow our customers to bring in beer and we do offer ours up from time to time as well and I am sure there is nothing really wrong with that and if there is I am sure its totally overlooked. We are just going to add a type 23 to the list of license we have and just drop a 3 BBL in place. Its been a dream of ours anyway so we are just gonna make it happen. Then you can come in and have a flight, a sample a pint or a gallon or 5 if you so desire.

Cheers
Jay

 

[kosmokramer]

The city is making me get a 3k dollar permit just to have classes on site, I can't imagine what they would say if I told them I was going to be serving.... My occupancy and use permit explicitly says no classes on site

 

[Jaybird]

OMG what a total rape job! I would be pissed, as I am sure you are. Hay good luck on the new store. How is it coming along?

CHeers
Jay

 

[mikescooling]

One nice kid opened up to me, and said he wanted to start a tap room with everything made in house wine, mead, beer, ect... Even though I don't need to go there for anything, now I have a "Guy".

 

[kosmokramer]

OMG what a total rape job! I would be pissed, as I am sure you are. Hay good luck on the new store. How is it coming along?

CHeers
Jay

Store is doing well, thanks! It is definitely a ton of work especially because I have a full time gig with the railroad, I get out of work and go straight to the shop to place orders, pay bills, and try to figure how to be better... Although they are long days I really enjoy being there and it has become a home away from home...

 

[Channel66]

Although they are long days I really enjoy being there and it has become a home away from home...

You said it in the last line. That's how I know you will do well.

My lhbs is like walking into a large pantry, they always have fresh ingredients. and friendly service, No matter how busy they are doing store work, they greet every person coming in through the usually open door, If they know their name or their business they will ask about it etc.

They also have space outside where they grow hops and have raised garden beds. In addition to teaching free brewing and wine and cheese making classes, they also teach classes on gardening, composting, canning, preserves making etc. And showing how to tie said techniques into your home brewery. Ie cheese pairing etc

I keep a large inventory of ingredients and supplies, so I don't always have a big order when I go in. But they always thank me for my business whether I'm spending 200 or 2 bucks. They make you feel like family and that will ALWAYS earn my repeat business.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

The LHBS near my f-i-l's place (I'll shout out to them if you say its ok) gives me as much service when I purchase $30 of merch as the guy next to me who bought over $300 in merch. I've come in looking for something specific and he got it for me, and I have also come in and said "y'know what I could use some help, I think I want to brew a stout" and he helped me from soup to nuts. Almost like having a personal shopper. For that reason I trust him when he says "I know this product is a bit more expensive, but I really do think it is better for these well-worded reasons." Ultimately, I think if the person behind the counter is just a cash-register operator I am more likely to shop online. If I go to my LBHS I want to talk Homebrew!

 

[CreamyGoodness]

By the way, I think treating my small purchase as if it were a big purchase is a very sound business practice. It guarenteed I would be back!

 

[Jaybird]

You said it in the last line. That's how I know you will do well.

My lhbs is like walking into a large pantry, they always have fresh ingredients. and friendly service, No matter how busy they are doing store work, they greet every person coming in through the usually open door, If they know their name or their business they will ask about it etc.

They also have space outside where they grow hops and have raised garden beds. In addition to teaching free brewing and wine and cheese making classes, they also teach classes on gardening, composting, canning, preserves making etc. And showing how to tie said techniques into your home brewery. Ie cheese pairing etc

I keep a large inventory of ingredients and supplies, so I don't always have a big order when I go in. But they always thank me for my business whether I'm spending 200 or 2 bucks. They make you feel like family and that will ALWAYS earn my repeat business.

That is a killer write up of your LHBS Thanks for sharing! They are also very lucky to have you as a customer...

Cheers
Jay