Shopping but not buying?

I stop in to random liquor stores while im traveling all the time. Ive found a few gems that way. If i dont see anything im looking for i usually will just buy a bottle of water or something small.

 

Are you absolutely sure that this was the owner? This sounds like the actions of a bitter employee who doesnt have anything to lose from treating you this way. If you had valued the business previously I would try and find a way to determine the actual owner and inform him of the issue.

 

I have become quite friendly with the owners/workers at the three stores I frequent the most. That being said, I do sometimes browse without purchasing, but could never imagine being told not to return because of it.

What the owner did was unacceptable, and the fact that he chased you out to your vehicle to tell you that you were no longer allowed in his store was damn rude. I would've been pissed!

 

Had this happen to me in Chicago. I was walking on Devon in Rogers Park and stumble upon a liquor store with a Flying Dog Brewery and Great Lakes Brewery sign in the window. I was like, this is awesome! A beer store I had no idea was there and was close to home. So I go inside and I can see the store has a large craft beer selection, but it wasn't organized at all. Random 4 packs, 6 packs and cases of beer were loosely placed in scattered piles on end caps and in the aisles. Not like they just received a shipment, however. More like they ordered a whole bunch of different popular, good ol' run of the mill craft beers they did not have the room for. It was hot in the store. The sun shining in didn't help either. So it was obvious the owner was trying to profit from a growing trend for a good product he knew nothing about. Such a waste... to see all that good beer going bad sitting in piles on the floor under bright florescent lighting and in some areas, direct sunlight.

Anyways, I'm still looking around carefully because, well....there might be something I'd really like, but I also wanted to know what they carried. If I don't buy anything today, it doesn't mean I'm not telling my beer buddies about the place. I still planned on returning whether I got something or not. Well, I looked around for a good 20 minutes. They had a few good choices that were properly stocked and stored, but nothing I really wanted at that time. On my way out I started to say to the guy at the counter (owner), "Hey, thanks a lot. You've got a great selection here. I'll definitely be back." But he actually cut me off at "You've got a gre..." and blurts out, "Okay, just leave!" This threw me off. I asked him if there was something wrong and he said, "You looking and looking around you come here just to cause trouble!" I politely told him that he was mistaken, I was excited to find a beer store and would've easily been a regular customer. He cut me off again and said, "Yeah, yeah. Just get out of here." So as I'm walking out the last thing I say is, "You know, you really should not treat people this way. It is completely rude and is very bad business." He then says, "I don't need your business!"

Best part is, as he said that and I was pretty much out the door, I spotted a nice Belgium Strong Brown Ale that I totally would have grabbed had I seen it while browsing. One bottle that was on the counter, but I missed it when I walked in because there was so much clutter everywhere. That was good for a laugh.

Highbrow is absolutely right. Bad business and you can warn everyone about it on Yelp, etc...

By the way, the store I was at was Hahn's Liquors, 1410 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL.
The owner was a complete prick. How he became a store owner is beyond me, but treating people that walk into your store like that is unacceptable and because of that he'll never see one dime from me or any of my friends I would've sent there.

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?c...77WH4G5wQHf46GbAg&sig2=zsUqzBPvfR_GSrnWfEj0vQ

 

I think your run of the mill liquor store with a limited craft beer or fine wine selection rarely has customers who come in look and don't buy because most of their customers are coming in to restock another liter or 24 pack of light beer. I feel a bit awkward if I don't buy something because it seems like everyone else who ever comes into that kind of store is buying. I think more niche stores may have more customers who browse or are looking for something specific and as a result may or may not buy.

 

Whether you buy or not, you don't treat customers or potential customers that way. Period.

 

Went in there today and spent just under 300.00 on Gandhi Bot, Imperial Stout Trooper, Dogfish 75minute IPA and Firestone walker Abacus. Lucky Monday beer finds

 

Instead of asking you not to return, he should have asked if you wanted a job. If you are like me, you know their stock and when new releases are expected to be out better than anyone else who works there.