Local wine supply store going out of business

[wood1954]

Come December my local store is closing. The nearest store is 2 hours away. I supported them as much as I could but I guess Amazon is putting them out of business. Their brewery and restaurant is making enough money they don’t need the store anymore. Looks like I’ll have to go back to corks in my bottles, screwcaps are too expensive now.

 

[mainshipfred]

I have 2 local stores in my area but they cater mostly to beer making. They have a very limited supply of wine making supplies unless they are also used in brewing beer. I might use Amazon for equipment but all of my chemicals and additives come from Morewine.

 

[winemaker81]

I have 2 local stores in my area but they cater mostly to beer making. They have a very limited supply of wine making supplies unless they are also used in brewing beer. I might use Amazon for equipment but all of my chemicals and additives come from Morewine.

I'm fortunate to have a LHBS that supports winemaking, which has been around for decades. Other shops have come-n-gone, but it hangs in there.

For folks that have a local store, support 'em, because if you don't, they'll be gone.

I was co-owner of a LHBS from '89 to '91, and after 2 years in a storefront my partner and I decided to quit -- too much work, not enough profits. So we put out a mailing to our entire list, letting 'em know we were going out of business.

People arrived in droves, people my partner had not seen in 5 years (he ran the business out of his cellar for 7 years prior to me joining and moving into a storefront).

People asked why we were going out of business. I had to bite my tongue and not tell them that if they had spent a small amount of money on any regular basis, we would not have quit. If we had regular business like we did that last 3 months, we both could have quit our day jobs.


EDIT: If the LHBS doesn't carry desired supplies, it is necessary to order over the net. I ask the owner of my LHBS, and he can usually get what I want, but not every store owner is so accommodating.

 

[Vern]

My local store is also discontinuing selling wine products. More customers for beer than wine.

 

[Rocky]

It is a somewhat sad reality of our times that brick and mortar outlets for goods are slowly disappearing. I buy most of my "stuff" online for the economics, the essentially limitless choices and ease of the transaction. I don't see this trend diminishing any time soon if ever.

 

[winemaker81]

It is a somewhat sad reality of our times that brick and mortar outlets for goods are slowly disappearing. I buy most of my "stuff" online for the economics, the essentially limitless choices and ease of the transaction. I don't see this trend diminishing any time soon if ever.

I'm seeing major store chains offering a less diverse selection, so finding things I want becomes more difficult. That contributes to the problem.

 

[wood1954]

I’m going to miss their prices on screw cap bottles the most. They also rent the crusher/destemmer I use. Looks like I’ll have to buy my own. I use Morewine, Presque isle and Bosa grape for what I can’t get locally.

 

[wineview]

I think back to before internet and the all the news was, “you will have the ability to shop from your home in your pajamas”. I was like………what are you talking about…….

 

[vinny]

I’m going to miss their prices on screw cap bottles the most. They also rent the crusher/destemmer I use. Looks like I’ll have to buy my own. I use Morewine, Presque isle and Bosa grape for what I can’t get locally.

Perhaps they will have a reduced price on that destemmer if you approach them. They may also be looking to liquidate screw caps at a good price. I never shy away from buying thousands if I can get them for the price of hundreds... Just saying, there might be an opportunity here.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Wood, ,,, the store in Oshkosh looked healthy today.

 

[wood1954]

Thanks, I didn’t know about that store.

 

[jswordy]

I'm fortunate to have a LHBS that supports winemaking, which has been around for decades. Other shops have come-n-gone, but it hangs in there.

For folks that have a local store, support 'em, because if you don't, they'll be gone.

I was co-owner of a LHBS from '89 to '91, and after 2 years in a storefront my partner and I decided to quit -- too much work, not enough profits. So we put out a mailing to our entire list, letting 'em know we were going out of business.

People arrived in droves, people my partner had not seen in 5 years (he ran the business out of his cellar for 7 years prior to me joining and moving into a storefront).

People asked why we were going out of business. I had to bite my tongue and not tell them that if they had spent a small amount of money on any regular basis, we would not have quit. If we had regular business like we did that last 3 months, we both could have quit our day jobs.


EDIT: If the LHBS doesn't carry desired supplies, it is necessary to order over the net. I ask the owner of my LHBS, and he can usually get what I want, but not every store owner is so accommodating.

Your note reminds me of when I had a store. I periodically would advertise

GOING OUT For BUSINESS

sales. People would flock to the place. And they were really good sale prices. But then they would get mad that the danged place wasn't closing!