Should Bottle Shops Allow Holds?

/thread

 

I really need to wake up before posting.

 

Mode works fine!

 

I think it's best just to ask 'Anything special available that's not on the shelf?'....It's almost like the employees' like to have that 'power' to sell you something special...worked for me numerous times!

 

I've read through most but not all of this thread.

I'm mostly fine with it, but as someone noted previously, much more in favor of this at smaller stores.

That said, I will not patronize a store simply to become a regular simply to receive this benefit. I drink (on average), 2-4 beers a week. Usually 1-2 if only having something on Fri and/or Sat, or sometimes an additional 1 or 2 during the week depending on what's going on that week. During the winter this is mostly stouts that are more limited, and Sofie. During the summer this is less stouts and more Hefe's, etc.

The point is, I'm not a heavy buyer. If you want to hold stuff back, fine, but I won't visit your store if everything is held back. I get wanting to reward your devote customers, but I won't visit you and I'll let anyone I know in the area of the practice. I'll gladly take my business where I have a potential opportunity to purchase something.

I know I'm a drop in the bucket. Still.

 

I mean I can sit here and say I'm pissed off about it, but in all reality I know if I owned a liquor store I would totally do the same thing. Regulars get the good stuff, that's been a practice since time immemorial...Case of Van Winkle 10 year comes in the door you can bet I'm hiding it in the back

 

Dick Mode, huh? I definitely have that.

 

Forgive me, I'm a bit slow, but what part of your story was so horrible? The part where you got exactly the beer you wanted? Or the part where you found out exactly who to ask the next time you're looking for a limited-release beer? Oh, I see it now. I know how upsetting it can be to have to talk to two people instead of just one.
Frankly, I don't know why so many of you even bother with the cashiers. They either really don't know shit, don't care enough to bother knowing shit, or go on a power trip because being a cashier is a shitty job. Hell, 90% of the time, it's not their job to know shit. It's their job to ring people up and not lose any money. The only thing you should be asking the cashier is "Who should I talk to if I have a question about beer?"

 

There's cashiers and cashiers

If the "guy working behind the cash register" was one of multiple cashiers at a big chain liquor store / supermarket, then you have a point.

If he was one of a handful of employees (possibly just happening to be manning the register at that point in time) at a smaller/independent specialty beer store, then sounds like @Minnesota_beer_guy could be the one with a point - sounds like maybe the second guy wasn't "on message" and unwittingly illustrated some shadiness going on with the limited stuff, by giving him the beer

 

The cashier in my story is the store's "beer guy" he's the gate keeper of who gets limited beer in that store. I had been to store enough times to realize that's his department. He takes great pride in determining if a customer is worthy of being sold something or not. Not sure if the owner of the small store has directed this young man to operate that way or not, and I will never know...

 

I live in just about the worst beer town ever, so I've learned a few things. First off, most of my beer $ gets spent at the brewery on release day. And while that really puts me out of this conversation, I've also come to the conclusion that, at the end of the day, its just beer. If I get to try it, cool. If I don't, oh well.

 

I'm torn.....As a guy who is primarily a weekend warrior (job, family, mortgage, soccer, etc.) but who has a decent knowledge of the "scene" I'm a little jealous of the man bun guy who is able to go to the beer store on random Tuesday mornings and has access to the good stuff.....That being said, I understand why stuff is put away for the regulars....

 

I have no problem with it. For me, it's a 2 way street. I typically shop at 2 stores, neither in Delaware.

Store A: I have never asked about things in the back. I do appreciate a couple of the employees who have taken me under their wing and guided me through my beer style choices. I have rewarded them with beers that they have never had, nor will they unless they traveled a couple states away.

Store B: I have called them, and asked them to put something on the side (I called on the off-chance they might have something). The store said sure, they would hold it until the next day. Sure enough, it was in the cooler, hidden out of the way. Tomorrow, I am taking a couple of beers purchased recently (without them being hidden away), from a brewery they have never tried.. it's my way of saying thanks.

Do I expect any special attention in return.. NOPE! I just know how it feels to finally get my hands on a beer I would love to try.. even if it's only a single.

 

Oh, funny store about stores hiding stuff in the back.

So, there's a store I used to visit. It was a pretty decent drive - about an 60-90 minutes. On account of the distance, I did not go frequently, and when I did I made large purchases.

One day I asked if they had any Prairie BOMB! because I did not see any out, but it was...like the only one missing. The guy said "come with me and we'll check." In their "secret stash" employees only area, they had all sorts of things that were not super desireable, but somewhat limited - and then others that were not that limited at all. E.g. they did not just have the new BOMB! with spaceship coffee hidden, they still had the last iteration of BOMB hidden in the back.

I was allowed to buy 2 Bomb.

Come on!

 

Haven't seen any threads or posts of any kind on this subject so I wanted to create one and get the thoughts of others. I recently started following one of my local bottle shops on social media (Instagram) and after watching a few of their posts about new, limited or upcoming releases I started to notice people in the comments section asking for a hold / reserve on said release and the shop was happy to hold it for them. This pissed me off to the point I now refuse to spend any money in their establishment. If the shop only gets one case of something very limited all the bottles end up saved / held / reserved by people who saw the post first and leaves nothing to those of us who don't have time to watch social media posts all day. Whatever happened to first come, first served? I miss being able to walk into a bottle shop and find something worth buying instead of the same old shelf turds collecting dust. Anyone else feel like this is a poor business practice?

 

I don't see anything wrong with bottle shops doing favors for their best customers. It's a good business practice.

Edit: If it was a poor business practice, they'd lose money and they wouldn't keep doing it.

 

I don't have a problem with a shop looking out for loyal customers or people who frequent and spend regularly but the average everyday Joe shouldn't be receiving an advantage on new and limited releases.
The hold/reserve business practice isn't going to make them lose money on those particular releases because lets face it, held/reserved or not the bottle would sell anyway if its something sought after. This business practice will however turn off customers such as myself and in turn lose that money and possibly newer customers essentially making the regulars who reserve releases the sole people the shop relies on to stay open. Since the shop in question has opened there has been a noticeable drop in sales and the shelves have the same old turds sitting. Only thing I noticed moving were the beers they were holding for people.

 

Following a social media portal which is like being a peeping tom tbh, is quite a bit different than getting to know the staff on a first name basis and actually being a regular paying customer.

 

Peeping Tom? Bro I follow them so that I can see their posts on what is new, isn't that the purpose of a bottle shop posting release info on social media? Also, shouldn't have to get to know the employees to have a chance at buying a limited release. That's like using the bottle shop as your own little club house.

 

@TurkeysDrinkBeer Are you a known regular customer there?

If so, have you tried letting the manager know the beers you are interested in for when they come in?