I just stopped by Beverage Barn on my way to Lowes this afternoon and was impressed by the major improvements they've made. Their selection seems to have doubled since the last time I was there, and they've added a lot more brewers/bombers. There is a downside in that there did seem to be a lot of older beer there (an indication of overbuying), but hopefully if more people find out about it they'd move the stock more quickly. You will definitely find something of interest, though. I really also hope that the area can support a store that they are trying to be, and they don't slide downhill again. I had no idea what to expect when I walked in- I was just looking around since i was in the area- but was stoked to find Founders Harvest as well as a few other surprises. Has anybody else noticed the improvement?
I can't say I noticed an improvement, as I'm fairly new to the area. I happened upon it as I was eating in the area and pulled out my ba app map. I thought their selection was fantastic, but some of the dates were off. I got a pack of chillwave that was 2 months out of code, thought it was bottled on date. Haven't been back since, but I plan on it. I would recommend it for sure.
So, how do you all feel about a beer retailer knowingly selling beer that is old (out of code)? Do you think that solely caveat emptor applies here? Should the retailer be ‘responsible’ and remove all of the beers that are out of code (or at least place them on a discount rack)? Cheers!
It's definitely changed from even a year ago, so that was nice to see. The thing that struck me as sort of odd was all the stuff that should have sold out long ago- like Hoptimum, the Beer Camp Box, even the Founders Harvest Ale I got today , etc- so not too many people who want these things are shopping there. Those things disappeared immediately at other stores I go to. That's part of the reason for this heads up, hopefully drive some more traffic that way. I think they should offer it up at discount as the date is approaching. If I go there more frequently I'll try to feel them out on that kind of thing. Right now it seems like they built it, but enough people aren't really coming. These guys might also not know that seeing some out of date product can be a turnoff, so it could be touchy how its handled.
“These guys might also not know that seeing some out of date product can be a turnoff,…” Michael (@TongoRad), it would be a BIG turnoff for me. I may stop in that store once and upon observing the large amount of old beer I may never come back. Cheers!
Even if you found something else you never expected to see? I guess this does touch on something that has to do with how beer is distributed- if stores want the special releases, then they also have to buy a lot of the standard product. That's the kind of situation that will lead to what seems to be happening here. Still, with proper rotation and promotions it could be made to work. In any event- I think I know where I will look when Backwoods Bastard hits NJ . Hopefully some more regular shoppers will see this thread and give their impressions.
“Even if you found something else you never expected to see?” Michael (@TongoRad ), I prefer to give my business to folks who follow ‘good’ business practices. From my perspective a beer store that knowingly sells out of code product is following a ‘bad’ business practice. I would very much prefer to take my business elsewhere. Hopefully one of the ‘good’ beer stores will help me get the beer I want. So far that strategy has worked for me. Cheers!
At this point I am willing to cut them some slack on that part, because it could just be that they are unaware.
“…because it could just be that they are unaware.” Which is also a ‘bad’ business practice. Any retailer that is selling perishable products (products with best by dates) should be aware of their inventory. I get that you want to support this business. That is a good thing for them since it does appear that they are lacking customer support based upon what you have posted. Cheers!
Jack- there is a good thing about a store deciding to carry anything and everything they can. It's that you can likely find anything and everything there . I don't think you understand just how small and selective most places are around here- so seeing all of that in one place definitely makes it worth the trip to comb through the shelves.
Not exactly a "destination" area, so thanks for the tip. One thing I'd want to do is get to know the beer manager and find out how well he knows his own product, and find out why there's old beer. The distributor should be working with them as well, to ensure that everyone in the line from brewer to retailer is getting only the best product to the consumer.
They've definitely improved their selection by a wide margin. Before they expanded they were a decent stop but now I'll always drop by if I'm in the area. The problem with them before and after the renovation is that they do have a lot of old product on the shelf. I've gotten burned there before but it is partially my fault for not checking the dates...and this was when the stock was much smaller. I wish they would pull all the old crap but I'm not about to light a torch, grab the village, and burn the place down. It's still a resource to be utilized, and the staff has been decent to me whenever I've asked about rarities. I've also never been in the store and seen it packed or even busy so there very well may be an issue there.
“I've also never been in the store and seen it packed or even busy so there very well may be an issue there.” It is entirely possible that beer consumers visited the store once, noticed the plethora of old product and decided to never shop there again. I am confident that I am not the only beer shopper who does not like it when stores do not maintain their stock properly. Cheers!
