BCBS Sightings - Chicago

not bad, good way to re-visit Matilda.

 

Ha...Bought 2 4 packs of that, The Muddy, and a 312

 

Last I heard, Sunnyside Little Store at the Mobile Gas Station in Johnsburg has some. A little pricey at $18.99 a pop. I'd call them before making the drive.

 

Well...there's a Steak and Shake up there in McHenry, so that drive is worth it regardless.

 

If you're going to Johnsburg, Epic Deli >>>>> just about everything else.

 

As someone who has only passed through Johnsburg (but does so fairly frequently), that place looks awesome, so I'm definitely going to have to check it out! Although I still love my Steak & Shake.

 

If you're looking for BCBS bottles downtown, UnCork-It on E Illinois St has regular for 13.99. They also got a few cases of variants but the owner isn't selling them and keeping them for himself. He's done that same crap the past couple years.

 

As per usually, Galleria on Southport seems to have everything but is also charging some hilarious prices ($40/barleywine, $100+ for Rare).

Seems like they have a decent amount, though, if you're desperate.

 

I'm right down the street from them and pondered whether to check it out. I think you just made my decision very easy. Maybe I'll go offer them $70 for the Rare and see what they say.

 

Every once in a while I have the urge to see what they've got. And then I remember this sort of crap, and I don't bother.

 

Good luck. I tried and the guy working laughed and just said that the owner sets the ridiculous prices so his hands are tied.

To the credit of the employees, they at least are aware of how dumb their owner is with his uncharged.

 

Ha, good to hear you tried! The only time I go in there now is once a year with my kids during the Southport Halloween party. You'd think if they charged that kind of money for their beers they could give away some Reese's, Snickers or some better candy than a Dum Dum!

 

I do not go there anymore. I've lived near there on and off for years. They have been rude to me on numerous occasions.

The last time I went in there, I grabbed a tallboy of PBR to make beer brats with. I handed the cashier my credit card. Instead of speaking, he starred at me and pointed to a small sign over tapped to the register that explained their minimum for credit cards.

 

Thanks to those who tipped me off to Mariano's. They had just under a case of regular left last night. Also the corner store across from Binnys Grand Ave had a bunch of regular in their cooler. $18.99 each so I passed.

 

I wish there was more focus on repercussions from distributors against stores doing this. As in, you charge nearly twice MSRP, you get no BCBS next year. Would never happen, but would be nice to see once in a while.

 

Which Mariano's was that? I called/went to about every one in the city. All either saying its sold out or they have no idea what I'm talking about.

 

It's their store, they can charge whatever they want. No one is forcing you to buy it. i agree it's a shit practice, but someone will eventually buy it

 

Mariano's Park Ridge.

 

They can charge whatever they want, but the distributor can also allocate limited product however they choose. And Goose can allocate product to distributors based on whatever arbitrary criteria they set... like they did with on-premise only Sisters this year.

We know places like Pipeworks have blacklisted retailers for price gouging. It would be nice if InBev/Goose flexed some muscle with distributors over this BS like they did when a bunch of mom and pop stores broke the release date in 2013.

 

My guess is that Goose (or the distributor, or whoever) doesn't really care, since they're already giving the lion's share of the BCBS to the big box stores. They probably think these little guys can do whatever they want with their 2.5 bottles of Rare.