Metro west Craft Beer Cellar.

Can't wait to have this down the street!

 

More overpriced boutique shops. Yay.

 

Are CBCs overpriced, or do they just charge ~MSRP? If the latter, they'll fit right in with metrowest pricing, but with improved selection and freshness. Other than Nine East at the Wellesley/Natick line, which is a MSRP-type store, is there anything between Newton and Julio's that has a half-decent selection at discount prices (and it's not like cheap beer is easy to find in Newton)?

Want to see what an overpriced store looks like? Stop into Cloverleaf on Speen at Rt 9. That place is borderline criminal.

 

I'd say CBC is pretty in line with the area.

Cloverleaf is no more. They and the golf shop next door were both bought and will be combined into a Total Wine. I believe it's slated to open later this year.

When I don't feel like making the trek out to Julio's I'll go to Warehouse Wine & Spirits next to Whole Foods on Rte. 9. The selection isn't massive but it's usually pretty good.

 

It stretches the definition of "between Julio's and Newton" perhaps a bit by being two exits south of Rte 9 from 128, but Bin Ends in Needham has a good selection and is not generally overpriced. Needham Wine and Spirits is closer to Needham Center and is generally well-priced and occasionally has some gems sitting on the shelf (found KBS and Parabola there both by chance), but doesn't always have the freshest product around. Needham Center Fine Wines has a strong selection, but trends a bit more expensive.

 

Not over priced just lack luster like all the CBC. "Hi sir would you like to buy 2 cans from this 4pk?" No, I would like to buy the WHOLE 4pk. How bout one friggin bottle of KBS but you have to come Saturday morning and wait in line? No thanks.

 

I guess comparing the area it's in is valid. I compare to the best price I can get. Everything in the CBC is more expensive than I can find closer to my house, not just at discount locations. The lack of refrigeration in most of the new stores popping up is infuriating. The Westford location has like 4 chest refrigerators and most of the stuff in it is older that what they are keeping warm. For the most part the chain is a joke in my opinion.

 

Complaining about the option to buy by the single. That's a new one.

 

That wasn't the complaint. Read it again, maybe slower.

 

If he's complaining about rare beers only being sold by the single, that is far from a CBC exclusive practice. When you're allocated a single case of something in high demand selling by the single is the responsible thing to do, so long as the mark up isn't egregious.

 

This is always interesting to me. I have a few stores with almost exclusively refrigerated beers, just based on space, and we always get people asking if we have things that are warm. It's tough to win. I personally lean towards always having a majority of the stock kept cold. I just feel like most people are looking or beer to drink fairly soon when they come in.

 

We've pretty much defeated the "cans are bad" misconception. I guess it's time to start working on the "temperature cycling skunks beer" misconception.

 

Can I ask what the stores are? I will shop places that have most stock chilled over the other option.

 

The Vin Bin n in marlboro, hopkinton and southboro. Our biggest and best beer selectI on is our hopkinton store.

 

Total Wine opening too? They carry a huge inventory and do mix-a-six, but you have to be really careful with dates.

 

To be clear, CBC was the only place I saw ONLY offering singles of KBS. Its not that rare. Also Im sorry but Nightshift whirlpool is also not rare does not have to have the 4pks cut in half. Another example was when the BA Framinghammers came out they let you buy one. Not one of each variant but one total. The coffee, vanilla and regular BA sat on the shelves across the st at Marty's for weeks. Why would I go there if I can get all my needs at another shop close by?

 

Id have to disagree on the KBS and Whirlpool. They may not be rare to you, but as a retailer, I can tell you that I get about 5 calls per day, per store, asking if we have Whirlpool/Morph/Santilli. These are not products that stores are getting huge amounts of. I have struggled with breaking up Night Shift 4pks, just so more people can get their hands on one. And when KBS Day comes, multiply those calls x100.

 

That is going to be a very competitive area down there with Total Wine, Warehouse Wine and Spirits, CBC, World Market(opening in Shoppers World) and even Julio's which isnt far from there.