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What would be your ideal LHBS?
- Thread starter sudbuddy
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I will shop there for sure
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sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
That is awesome! Earlier in this thread someone mentioned a similar program at their LHBS and I was trying to figure out a way to implement it in mine. Now I can rip off this punch card idea and make everybody happy. Thanks!
You bet. I still use a LOT of the input that was given in that thread from when I posted it. Lot of good feedback and input. Win Win for everyone.
Good luck with your shop.
Cheers
Jay
dkevinb
Well-Known Member
My favorite shop gets my grain for me and mills it the way I want it. Another shop is self-serve, and I don't care for that. It takes me a lot longer to find and weigh out the grain. The third shop only sells grain pre-milled in 1-pound baggies. I absolutely hate that and don't buy grain from them. Or much of anything else.
My LHBS does something really cool. If the liquid yeast I want is a few months old, the owner will offer to get some fresh yeast of that variety added to his next weekly order. Of course, this requires a bit of planning ahead for the customer, but I like getting Wyeast or WL that is just a couple weeks old.
Having lots of the little hardware items on hand is nice. Fittings, tubing, clamps, valves, adapters, stoppers, etc. I know this ties up $$ in inventory, but it sure is nice when a minor crisis is averted by finding that right part.
I prefer a self-serve grain room. Keep the bins full, set out a few scales, scoops and plastic bags, and keep your mill well-adjusted, and you're good to go. The shop I go to has grain bins color-coded by price. One color is $1.49/lb, another $1.79, and so forth. It's nice to go to the counter and pay for x lbs of blue, y lbs. of red, etc., rather than having to itemize every grain.
Having lots of the little hardware items on hand is nice. Fittings, tubing, clamps, valves, adapters, stoppers, etc. I know this ties up $$ in inventory, but it sure is nice when a minor crisis is averted by finding that right part.
I prefer a self-serve grain room. Keep the bins full, set out a few scales, scoops and plastic bags, and keep your mill well-adjusted, and you're good to go. The shop I go to has grain bins color-coded by price. One color is $1.49/lb, another $1.79, and so forth. It's nice to go to the counter and pay for x lbs of blue, y lbs. of red, etc., rather than having to itemize every grain.
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HarborTownBrewing
Well-Known Member
One of the shops in Cook County allows the customer to complete their order online, and they will gather all the grains and mill them for you to pick up the next day. Historically, this has been problematic though, as they have A) run out of supplies which they show they have inventory of, B) screw up my order with simple things. Sooooo, I first stopped pre-ordering since I couldn't trust they were getting the grains/amounts right and eventually quit the store. BUT, the recipe builder was a good idea and really helpful for me when I was a new brewer and sort of intimidated.
Now I go to another store which is self-help in terms of grains, and I like it. But again, it's intimidating to newbs, so I think it's helpful to maybe help assemble orders for newer folks.
Also, hours are a big one for me. I like to brew on Sunday afternoons, and there have been times I could have used something from the store but they close at 5pm on Sundays.
Now I go to another store which is self-help in terms of grains, and I like it. But again, it's intimidating to newbs, so I think it's helpful to maybe help assemble orders for newer folks.
Also, hours are a big one for me. I like to brew on Sunday afternoons, and there have been times I could have used something from the store but they close at 5pm on Sundays.
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sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
Thanks Jay. Do you sell your false bottoms, etc. wholesale? I really like the design and I'd love to stock them. Please PM me the details if you do
Something that killed my LHBS for me was their bulk pricing. I wanted a bag of two-row, and they wanted $65 for it. I'm in Sacramento, and have family in the bay. So that means that I'm buying from MoreBeer when I'm passing through as opposed to supporting local.
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sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
I was getting antsy. Plus it was super busy in the store so I thought it was a lot longer. Oh well, guess it's time for a homebrew
Don't act like you know more about brewing than your customers.
Don't clearly overprice sh*t. We all know how to use the internet.
Don't fill up extra space with cheesy products that will never sell in 20 years.
Don't try to push or promote brand X to me when I ask for brand Y.
Don't hound me and watch me like a hawk when I'm trying to browse and brainstorm - I want to be left alone.
Do list all of your products and prices on your website. This makes a shopping day easy to plan.
Do list your opening hours and any exceptions on your website.
Do have the prices of all of your products clearly marked - don't make me ask because I might not believe that you tell the same price to everyone.
Do not hire booth-babes to work in the store. SWMBO doesn't take too kindly to this sort of marketing tactic.
Don't clearly overprice sh*t. We all know how to use the internet.
Don't fill up extra space with cheesy products that will never sell in 20 years.
Don't try to push or promote brand X to me when I ask for brand Y.
Don't hound me and watch me like a hawk when I'm trying to browse and brainstorm - I want to be left alone.
Do list all of your products and prices on your website. This makes a shopping day easy to plan.
Do list your opening hours and any exceptions on your website.
Do have the prices of all of your products clearly marked - don't make me ask because I might not believe that you tell the same price to everyone.
Do not hire booth-babes to work in the store. SWMBO doesn't take too kindly to this sort of marketing tactic.
My lhbs is 2.5 hours away...
Arctic Brewing, yay. I buy 50# 2 row for $80. I only buy specialty grains by the recipe. They have a scale at the register, so no worries about the honor system. As a noob, I enjoy bagging my own grains. They sometimes don't have the hops I want, but they help pick a replacement. Being in Alaska, we do pay more for items... I just wish they were closer. I sure don't want to move to Anchorage.
Arctic Brewing, yay. I buy 50# 2 row for $80. I only buy specialty grains by the recipe. They have a scale at the register, so no worries about the honor system. As a noob, I enjoy bagging my own grains. They sometimes don't have the hops I want, but they help pick a replacement. Being in Alaska, we do pay more for items... I just wish they were closer. I sure don't want to move to Anchorage.
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sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
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sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
So far I'm loving this feedback. Particularly the grain club/punch card idea. Please keep it coming!
1977Brewer
Free Dan Hess.
I checked and my garage is about 500 square feet. I can shuffle some stuff and get you a solid hundo. Rent free homie.
MrE_the_Great
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I can't tell you how much I love the grain punch card idea...I've just about completed my plan to store bulk and mill at home, but if my local offered this I may have skipped that plan.
The only thing I can think of that hasn't been listed is that I love that my local will sell yeast that is getting older (by no means old yet) for 50% off. I love this and often build a recipe around what yeast was marked down which can be fun.
The only thing I can think of that hasn't been listed is that I love that my local will sell yeast that is getting older (by no means old yet) for 50% off. I love this and often build a recipe around what yeast was marked down which can be fun.
Evan_L
Well-Known Member
#1 pet peeve, non-self serve yeast. I'd like to see the date on the package before I decide on it. It gives me a chance to decide on whether the viability is acceptable enough with no pressure. I will gladly pay 50% more for yeast (since it's only one pack per batch anyway) if I know it's always within a month old...ok maybe 2 months for the more unpopular strains. 3 month old plus.... no thanks. I know I can grow it up but most places around here are closed sun-tue, so by the time I fill my recipe for the weekend I don't have time to step up older yeast.
#2 Give me a good deal on bulk grains and I won't care so much about how much I pay by the ounce or pound for specialty malts.
#3 Have a good selection of grains and hops. I know it's hard to keep a wide selection in stock and fresh but...if I have to go online to find a malt or hop i'm very likely to get the whole recipe their since i'm paying flat rate shipping anyway. Discount stuff as it gets older. I'll pay a bit more for the convenience of buying local and knowing it will be there. If I see that a certain hop or grain is discounted (not because it's super old but because you want to move it before it gets there) I am very likely to consider incorporating it into a recipe.
#4 I want to see dates on the hops. Especially with the more unique hops that may not be requested often. A year or two old doesn't mean I won't buy it, I just want to know (and be able to accurately estimate alpha acid loss in beersmith). Charge me 3-4 bucks per ounce but also give me a good deal on pounds. This way I can try new hops or buy a little at a time for lightly hopped recipes but also not get screwed when I want to make a DIPA.
#5 If I come in with an idea and say how can I make this work, don't try to steer me off course with "that's not to style" or "it's not done like that" or "that wont work". It's my recipe. It may turn out crappy but I sure as **** will learn from it. LET ME MAKE MISTAKES.Help me to do what it is I want to do.
#6 If my beer sucks, tell me! I get that it's important to point out the good parts of a poor beer and not just say this is terrible. Most of the people who drink our beer are family and friends, of course they tell us it's great....and we begin to doubt their feedback. I'm bringing my beer in for an honest evaluation. If it's a hop bomb, tell me. Too much crystal, same. I bring it in because I want a no holds barred opinion from someone who knows beer.
#7 Please don't try to sub something you don't carry as if it's the same thing.
#8 Foster a hang out kind of feel. I know that most days I can walk in with a beer and just shoot the ****. Many other people come by for an odd ingredient and hang out a bit too. Most bring a beer. It's great to share yours and try others. My LHBS is awesome for this. Guy is super cool, doesn't matter if he cracks one of his own special brews and 12 people walk in, everyone gets a sip even of he doesn't know them. If he has a friend there that brings a special/rare beer to share with the owner and you walk in, you get a pour. Everyone is made to feel part of the inner circle.
#9 You are a business person who loves beer, I don't expect you to be all knowing brew god. If you don't know, say so! We can learn it or work it out together then! The more I get the sense that you are willing to say i don't know when you don't, the more I trust your expertise when you do know definitively.
These are generalities mixed from a few LHBS in my area and not a reference to any specific one.
#2 Give me a good deal on bulk grains and I won't care so much about how much I pay by the ounce or pound for specialty malts.
#3 Have a good selection of grains and hops. I know it's hard to keep a wide selection in stock and fresh but...if I have to go online to find a malt or hop i'm very likely to get the whole recipe their since i'm paying flat rate shipping anyway. Discount stuff as it gets older. I'll pay a bit more for the convenience of buying local and knowing it will be there. If I see that a certain hop or grain is discounted (not because it's super old but because you want to move it before it gets there) I am very likely to consider incorporating it into a recipe.
#4 I want to see dates on the hops. Especially with the more unique hops that may not be requested often. A year or two old doesn't mean I won't buy it, I just want to know (and be able to accurately estimate alpha acid loss in beersmith). Charge me 3-4 bucks per ounce but also give me a good deal on pounds. This way I can try new hops or buy a little at a time for lightly hopped recipes but also not get screwed when I want to make a DIPA.
#5 If I come in with an idea and say how can I make this work, don't try to steer me off course with "that's not to style" or "it's not done like that" or "that wont work". It's my recipe. It may turn out crappy but I sure as **** will learn from it. LET ME MAKE MISTAKES.Help me to do what it is I want to do.
#6 If my beer sucks, tell me! I get that it's important to point out the good parts of a poor beer and not just say this is terrible. Most of the people who drink our beer are family and friends, of course they tell us it's great....and we begin to doubt their feedback. I'm bringing my beer in for an honest evaluation. If it's a hop bomb, tell me. Too much crystal, same. I bring it in because I want a no holds barred opinion from someone who knows beer.
#7 Please don't try to sub something you don't carry as if it's the same thing.
#8 Foster a hang out kind of feel. I know that most days I can walk in with a beer and just shoot the ****. Many other people come by for an odd ingredient and hang out a bit too. Most bring a beer. It's great to share yours and try others. My LHBS is awesome for this. Guy is super cool, doesn't matter if he cracks one of his own special brews and 12 people walk in, everyone gets a sip even of he doesn't know them. If he has a friend there that brings a special/rare beer to share with the owner and you walk in, you get a pour. Everyone is made to feel part of the inner circle.
#9 You are a business person who loves beer, I don't expect you to be all knowing brew god. If you don't know, say so! We can learn it or work it out together then! The more I get the sense that you are willing to say i don't know when you don't, the more I trust your expertise when you do know definitively.
These are generalities mixed from a few LHBS in my area and not a reference to any specific one.
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sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
How do they display the old yeast? My refrigerator situation is tough because the yeast fridge is in back for employees only to keep it organized and that's where it fits. Do they keep a list out or something? I like the idea, before I just did a crazy experiment with it, see: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=6777333#post6777333
1977Brewer
Free Dan Hess.
I'd prefer it if the owner didn't get hockey drunk and make fun of my haircut online.
Stubby would never do that.
Www.texasbrewinginc.com
Stubby would never do that.
Www.texasbrewinginc.com
good variety of brands ..grains/yeast/hops..friendly staff who can offer assistance..no overpriced delivery costs.and these day's online presence that's updated on a regular basis.
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sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
This is awesome feedback. I think for the most part I meet your criteria, except for the yeast fridge. That's a geographic and organizational issue, but if what you ask for is old I tell you, no BS and no pressure. I'd rather do that than have the yeast get all mixed up so you spend forever searching. As for sampling/sharing, I employ the same beer. If I get to try a beer, everyone gets to try that beer. I know about 75-80% of my customers by name so we're all friends, and if I don't know your name yet I will by the end of the beer.
Dates on the hops is an interesting idea but I don't see how it's possible because none of the suppliers put dates on their hops. This time of year in particular is hard because the 2014 hops were just released, so they're being phased in as the 2013 crop runs out. I honestly have no idea what I'm getting so I don't want to make it up and lie
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sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
Hahahahaha!! Sorry dude. Hawks are down 2-0 in the 3rd now so it's gonna get worse as I drink away my sorrows. I promise to leave you're "haircut" alone though
I have a pretty biased view -- reading through these comments, there's a lot of things our LHBS does right. They obviously don't bother me, so...
But, the one thing that's super nice is consistent selection. It's great to have a huge selection. It's especially great for someone to come in and expect that you'll have a particular product from one visit to the next. (Otherwise, planning is hard.) This goes for malt, hops, yeast, chemistry, everything.
But, the one thing that's super nice is consistent selection. It's great to have a huge selection. It's especially great for someone to come in and expect that you'll have a particular product from one visit to the next. (Otherwise, planning is hard.) This goes for malt, hops, yeast, chemistry, everything.
jekeane
Well-Known Member
A new shop just opened at about the same distance from my old shop. The new shop is very well stocked, clean, and the owner seems like a good guy. The old shop is in a sketch area, poorly lit, decently stocked, and has an foul mouthed grump (who is really is nice once you know him) running it. The new store charges about $.70 more per lb of 2row and $1.25/lb for crystal malts. Take a guess where I go.
1977Brewer
Free Dan Hess.
Yanking your chain. I had forgotten about the 30 smack pack contest. That was genius.
I have hairs to cut, it's still a haircut.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1428462690.117886.jpg
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sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
Indeed. I am so sorry sir. You should grow a sick-a$$ mullet. But that might be the *blegh* Molson talking. Want some of that yeast? I still have a few vials left
Sud, you are going to have one awesome store if you implement these great thoughts! I hear everyone saying competitive prices, that's subjective. On line isn't always cheaper with shipping, and if you really want to support the local guy, 20-25% is reasonable.
What I like from my LHBS- Hops by the pound (most varieties within 10% to on line), good stock, generally fresh yeast (please don't tell me yeast is fine even at 6 mos, please!), recipe grains they sell by any increment, grain sacks, homebrew club (even if I don't belong / attend I think of going and likely will some day), hop rhizomes, friendly staff, brew kits they've put together for new brewers- extract with steeping grains- good instructions. What I don't like- their homebrew (how is it possible its not good?), not imaginative, such as customer loyalty programs, some employees condescending comments (train them well!).
What I'd like to see- customer loyalty programs, diy corner, used equipment sales program (buyback other's equipment and re-sell), I received a SS conical for a present, but if I were buying one myself I might consider a refurbished one that I could see in your store- why let ebay have all this business? Call this corner of your store an Eco friendly zone. Help keep items in use and out of the landfill! (I have no idea if this will catch on, just a crazy thought!). I'd also like the store to participate in group buys, but haven't considered the economic impacts, so this is just due to the impressive savings ~$16 per sack cheaper than LHBS. I am torn on this, the store I will pick up from (1st time) is a bit away, so will spend pickup day in Philly to not waste the trip. I feel like I'm cheating on my LHBS.
You are in an increasingly tough environment with the internet and the published price lists, I wish you the best of luck and wish others realize its important to support local stores. I don't buy much on line, like to support the local guy, and not just homebrew stores!
What I like from my LHBS- Hops by the pound (most varieties within 10% to on line), good stock, generally fresh yeast (please don't tell me yeast is fine even at 6 mos, please!), recipe grains they sell by any increment, grain sacks, homebrew club (even if I don't belong / attend I think of going and likely will some day), hop rhizomes, friendly staff, brew kits they've put together for new brewers- extract with steeping grains- good instructions. What I don't like- their homebrew (how is it possible its not good?), not imaginative, such as customer loyalty programs, some employees condescending comments (train them well!).
What I'd like to see- customer loyalty programs, diy corner, used equipment sales program (buyback other's equipment and re-sell), I received a SS conical for a present, but if I were buying one myself I might consider a refurbished one that I could see in your store- why let ebay have all this business? Call this corner of your store an Eco friendly zone. Help keep items in use and out of the landfill! (I have no idea if this will catch on, just a crazy thought!). I'd also like the store to participate in group buys, but haven't considered the economic impacts, so this is just due to the impressive savings ~$16 per sack cheaper than LHBS. I am torn on this, the store I will pick up from (1st time) is a bit away, so will spend pickup day in Philly to not waste the trip. I feel like I'm cheating on my LHBS.
You are in an increasingly tough environment with the internet and the published price lists, I wish you the best of luck and wish others realize its important to support local stores. I don't buy much on line, like to support the local guy, and not just homebrew stores!
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sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
Thanks! I'm working on pound pricing for hops, but it won't be a reality til my contracts kick in next year. Still working on the spot market so there's hope for this year. We do have a fledgling club and I can't wait to see what the members do with it. It isn't part of the store, it's its own thing and our members rule! I offer super cheap grain buys in conjunction with my restocks, it's all about poundage and I want to extend the discount to my awesome customers especially if it helps drive my prices down. A reselling corner seems cool too but I'd rather do that through the club because at the end of the day I'm still trying to sell equipment too. I try to keep a huge variety of ingredients in stock, and if I'm out of something it will only be for a week max. I know most of my customers by name and we're all buddies. You folks are all awesome and I really appreciate the feedback. I want to make my shop even better and this is a great start!
I have 3 stores reasonably close....1 is clean and has a moderate selection of bulk grains, but beer is just a part of what they offer and prices are " clean carpeted store" ...close to work so I go occasionally....the second is cheaper ... An online retailer that has a storefront. Prices are good, quite good, but not posted and sometimes I think the sales guys don't get them right....they have grains by the package only....I go there for sales ( good sales) and to stock up on extract... Store #3 gets most of my business they are well known locally, and have more of a stockroom ( yet comfortable feel)...prices are fair but they have a great bulk grain selection -- they weigh and grind it- and offer classes and well seasoned staff...always a great yeast and hops selection...great turnover.
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