Trying to support LHB Shop not easy.

[dizidave]

I tried to support my local home brew shop at the weekend with my first visit out there.

Got there, closed.

Opening times:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Friday

Times:
10am to 3pm

How on earth do they stay in business?

 

[Tony]

Sounds like the business was more of a hobby. I wonder if they are brewing the rest of the time?
where was this?

 

[dizidave]

South Yorkshire, Rotherham area.

 

[graysalchemy]

Retail is hard at the moment and many people are having to supplement their income elsewhere . I got out of specialist retail six years ago even though the business was doing well because I saw no long term future and the threat of the internet.

My LHBS is about 25% dearer than online but I do like to support it, but it means a lengthy drive and hops and malt is so much more expensive that I only use them for the speciality items etc.

I think that the sad reality is that the high street is on its last legs and especially speciality shops that have survived this far are hanging on by the skin of their teeth unless they have a healthy online presence or have something which is unique and exclusive.

We are all guilty of not shopping locally but at the end of the day we all have a budget to live to.

Here ends the lesson.

:hmm: :hmm:

AG

 

[Bozuit]

They probably have a small number of regulars who are the main people who shop there. So they can just assume the vast majority of customers will know the opening times and get there within them.

The other possibility though is something that I expect many shopkeepers in my hometown suffer from. The reality is that with supermarkets and other large chains, small shops have to adapt, but many can't see this. They still think closing at 5pm (or earlier) is fine, and then they wonder why they go out of business.

It is worth visiting homebrew shops though (or at least my local one is worth visiting) as they can give a lot of advice and suggestions. They are often also more expensive as graysalchemy says, but remember delivery charges if buying online. I haven't found any reasonable delivery charges for online homebrew stuff yet.

 

[Baz Chaz]

Your lucky ........... you've actually got a homebrew shop locally :?

 

[Moley]

The other possibility though is something that I expect many shopkeepers in my hometown suffer from. The reality is that with supermarkets and other large chains, small shops have to adapt, but many can't see this. They still think closing at 5pm (or earlier) is fine, and then they wonder why they go out of business.

Yes, but not to open on a Saturday :wha:

 

[Samarith]

My local HBS keeps the same hours but also 10-1 on Saturday, for the first four years I thought it was a failed business that hadn't been sold off.

I only realised it was still active cause the door was wedged open when I walked past this spring.

There's about 5 different people that look after the shop though you only see one at a time, how they make a living at it I have no idea.

 

[mugsey53]

try and find one in cyprus......rare as hens teeth.....
i have to limit 30kg orders and spend 55 squid on transport here :cry:

 

[Mark1964]

We only have 1 homebrew shop in Hull and they never have any ingredients so i use the shop for equipment and buy grains/hops online now sad but what else can you do

 

[andymat]

http://www.brew2bottle.co.uk/
http://www.brew2bottle.co.uk/

 

[leedsbrew]

the local shop I use for last minute supplies and wine/cider is only open Wed - Thurs. It does cost more and has a limited range, but it's close and handy!

I do however have the luck of living near Barley Bottom so my AG supplies are sorted!

 

[nicbwalker]

Hello,

My local homebrew shop has reasonable opening times (though not open on wednesday or sunday) and while slightly more expensive then online retailers there is no shipping cost and they are available if there is a problem or is advice is needed.

It is also a bonus to be able to look at a range of stock and compare before leaving with the product of my choice, no waiting for the post / courier.

Regards,

nic

 

[spitfire184]

I was very fortunate to move into an area with a home brew shop literally two minutes walk away.

It's a really nice little shop, the kind this country would have done well to protect. Anyway, I haven't found better prices online on most things, making it easy to support. In addition, it's open every day of the week; they even let me in after closing time a few Sundays ago!

I think the huge amount of poor students in the area help them to keep going, I normally see at least one other customer in there.

Guess I should consider myself fortunate!