Stores can be taters too

[Kepler]

All this talk about Henry McKenna "taters" make me think.  Went into one of my locals today and noticed the empty shelf where HmK10 used to be for years.  Sub $30 btw.   The bin tag was totally gone too.  I asked my regular clerk  (a straight shooter whom I trust) and he said the owner snatched them up and put them in the back room with the rest of the LE allocated inventory they keep for their "special" customers.  

 

Stores can be taters too. Do you all also have stores that stalk the bourbon market like a hawk? 

[kevinbrink]

The last two sanity holdouts I had bit the dust this past year, I had bought at least 1 BTAC or Van Winkle from one store for the last few years for a really small markup over retail, the manager told me the week before he got them in last fall and when I showed up the cheapest botte was Handy for $300.  I bought a Booker's 30th from the other store and when I went back a couple weeks later he had 3 bottes left marked at $500. 

[Harry in WashDC]

One of my purveyors has priced the unicorn LEs (like the BTAC) at "market" instead of MSRP.  OTOH, the store has expanded its selection of basic offerings and routinely runs sales of selected bottom and mid-shelf offerings at below MSRP to get traffic in where they hard-sell (which I'm used to so say "No, thanks" a lot).  I can live with the trade-off.

[Kepler]

23 minutes ago, kevinbrink said:

The last two sanity holdouts I had bit the dust this past year, I had bought at least 1 BTAC or Van Winkle from one store for the last few years for a really small markup over retail, the manager told me the week before he got them in last fall and when I showed up the cheapest botte was Handy for $300.  I bought a Booker's 30th from the other store and when I went back a couple weeks later he had 3 bottes left marked at $500. 

 

That's a hard pill to swallow, when you have been buying from them for years.  At least you scored that first Booker's 30th.

[Kepler]

7 minutes ago, Harry in WashDC said:

One of my purveyors has priced the unicorn LEs (like the BTAC) at "market" instead of MSRP.  OTOH, the store has expanded its selection of basic offerings and routinely runs sales of selected bottom and mid-shelf offerings at below MSRP to get traffic in where they hard-sell (which I'm used to so say "No, thanks" a lot).  I can live with the trade-off.

Yup, I'd take that trade-off too.  

[evasive]

My local keeps their allocations of things like BTAC, VW, and W12 behind the counter, but they let people know they’re coming in. Other things like HMcK and baby Saz aren’t reliable and don’t last long, but they’re on the shelves. Same with Blanton’s and CEHT, although they’re generally available. I’m in Montana, so there’s no markup.

[AndyD]

It’s sad to see hmk10 getting an allocated makeover.

1 hour ago, Harry in WashDC said:

One of my purveyors has priced the unicorn LEs (like the BTAC) at "market" instead of MSRP.  OTOH, the store has expanded its selection of basic offerings and routinely runs sales of selected bottom and mid-shelf offerings at below MSRP to get traffic in where they hard-sell (which I'm used to so say "No, thanks" a lot).  I can live with the trade-off.

 

Stores should sell at market.  The ones that don’t have bottles that end up on the secondary quite often.  The secondary is just correcting a major price and demand problem, after all.  The hard part to stomach is realizing that being able to afford and drink the most sought after bourbon may be very difficult, not the case 10 years ago.

 

another decent idea that a local store is doing this year is to lottery allocated items during btac season, but only to customers that have 3 receipts in 2019.  I have no issues with this.

[Old Hippie]

You also have to look at this issue from the retailer's point of view. The release dates of the various unicorns are well known, in fact I believe there is a web sight with a state map that illustrates these dates. These folks get swamped around these various release dates with folks chasing these items. Many of these are not regular customers, which creates a qaundary as to how to handle this. Most of the reputable retailers that I know put an emphasis on these being available to their better customers only. 

One I know will save the unicorns and raffle of the opportunity to buy with his regular customers. 

No matter how they do it they end up with pissed off folks. 

[Richnimrod]

I can't really relate anything about 'other retailers', since I don't shop at any 'others'.    I buy all my spirits, and some other stuff  as well, at one place where I know the owner, and many of the clerks quite well.   He knows I buy exclusively from him, and is pretty accommodating with the the limited quantities of LE's he gets; generally calling me to alert the availability of whatever comes in.   Until last year he didn't mark up anything (for me at any rate) beyond the Michigan State Minimum.   He has corrected that; but, at least for me, now charges only a small mark-up from MSM... around 5-10%.    Unfortunately, the State of Michigan forbids putting any hard spirits "on sale" (thus the term MSM).    So, no compensation like Harry mentioned regarding other Bourbon Bargains.

My only complaint is the limited numbers of the LE's my favorite store owner is able to get.   In many cases, it is in the very low single digits per brand.    The Booker's 30th showed up as ONE Bottle.   Last Fall's BTAC/Pappy allocation was one or two of each (no Pappy 15).   Ahhh, the times in which we live.    Not much to do about it, other than explore my own stash, which luckily still has a great deal of wonderful pours available.

[kevinbrink]

8 hours ago, AndyD said:

It’s sad to see hmk10 getting an allocated makeover.

 

Stores should sell at market.  The ones that don’t have bottles that end up on the secondary quite often.  The secondary is just correcting a major price and demand problem, after all.  The hard part to stomach is realizing that being able to afford and drink the most sought after bourbon may be very difficult, not the case 10 years ago.

 

another decent idea that a local store is doing this year is to lottery allocated items during btac season, but only to customers that have 3 receipts in 2019.  I have no issues with this.

Entitled to your opinion but Stores should sell closer to MSRP in my book not just because it is better for me as a consumer but because I believe that for some items this Market is going to crash just like Craft Beer has started to. MSRP could probably come up to a higher price and things wouldn't tank, but hard to believe $500 for BTAC is sustainable at least to me. 

[AndyD]

if stores don’t sell at market, the secondary will.  And it does.  Like I said, I’m all for the lottery idea if it’s for the stores benefit.  But generally consumers are loyal only to a point.  

 

Youre right about a crash, but that is simple as well.  When supply exceeds demand, the prices will come down and it will be more available.  Anyone who bought at an inflated price will be SOL.  Unless they’re ok with just drinking their expensive whiskey.

[Mako254]

10 hours ago, AndyD said:

It’s sad

 

another decent idea that a local store is doing this year is to lottery allocated items during btac season, but only to customers that have 3 receipts in 2019.  I have no issues with this.

This seems like a pretty good idea. If I ran a shop I’d make it store pick receipts. Incentive to move store picks and opens it up to loyal buyers. 

[CUfan99]

4 hours ago, Richnimrod said:

I can't really relate anything about 'other retailers', since I don't shop at any 'others'.    I buy all my spirits, and some other stuff  as well, at one place where I know the owner, and many of the clerks quite well.   He knows I buy exclusively from him, and is pretty accommodating with the the limited quantities of LE's he gets; generally calling me to alert the availability of whatever comes in.   Until last year he didn't mark up anything (for me at any rate) beyond the Michigan State Minimum.   He has corrected that; but, at least for me, now charges only a small mark-up from MSM... around 5-10%.    Unfortunately, the State of Michigan forbids putting any hard spirits "on sale" (thus the term MSM).    So, no compensation like Harry mentioned regarding other Bourbon Bargains.

My only complaint is the limited numbers of the LE's my favorite store owner is able to get.   In many cases, it is in the very low single digits per brand.    The Booker's 30th showed up as ONE Bottle.   Last Fall's BTAC/Pappy allocation was one or two of each (no Pappy 15).   Ahhh, the times in which we live.    Not much to do about it, other than explore my own stash, which luckily still has a great deal of wonderful pours available.

I respect your loyalty. Just curious, do you ever question your decision to maintain your relationship to that degree? You're missing out on a lot of store picks and I would imagine some brands your guy doesn't carry.

[callingtom]

14 hours ago, Harry in WashDC said:

One of my purveyors has priced the unicorn LEs (like the BTAC) at "market" instead of MSRP.  OTOH, the store has expanded its selection of basic offerings and routinely runs sales of selected bottom and mid-shelf offerings at below MSRP to get traffic in where they hard-sell (which I'm used to so say "No, thanks" a lot).  I can live with the trade-off.

You are right!  Nailed it.

 

I can not believe I am coming to the small store owners defense on this.  I know 4 or 5 pretty well, I talk to most of them weekly.  Most everyone on this site knows or should know that you just don't get the LEs/BTAC/Pappy because your disti has them.  They go to the stores that buy the product that does not move.  Buy and move 10 cases of Fireball, get 3 of this Sazerac LE for example.  Most of the time its not even bourbon, just some crappy vodka/spirit that is sitting in the warehouse.  Then they sell those at cost or below with hopes of making profit on the LEs.  Right now I know one who bought 50 cases of Four Roses and selling them for less than the mega-liquor store.  All in hopes he will get some of the LEs.  Right now they do not gouge me to badly, and I always get the first call when they come in.

[lcpfratn]

You are right!  Nailed it.
 
I can not believe I am coming to the small store owners defense on this.  I know 4 or 5 pretty well, I talk to most of them weekly.  Most everyone on this site knows or should know that you just don't get the LEs/BTAC/Pappy because your disti has them.  They go to the stores that buy the product that does not move.  Buy and move 10 cases of Fireball, get 3 of this Sazerac LE for example.  Most of the time its not even bourbon, just some crappy vodka/spirit that is sitting in the warehouse.  Then they sell those at cost or below with hopes of making profit on the LEs.  Right now I know one who bought 50 cases of Four Roses and selling them for less than the mega-liquor store.  All in hopes he will get some of the LEs.  Right now they do not gouge me to badly, and I always get the first call when they come in.

I get what you are saying, and you’re partially correct, but whether you want to believe it or not, Fireball is not a slow moving product for most stores. The distributors do push a lot of Wheatley Vodka, and other lower shelf and non-whiskey products to try and get those brands more market share against competing products, and they use the LE and allocated products they have as an enticement. They also have large order special discounts for those bottom shelf and non-whiskey products, so I doubt your retailers are selling anything below cost unless its just been sitting for awhile and they’re getting rid of it with no plans to carry it again in the near future.

[Richnimrod]

2 hours ago, CUfan99 said:

I respect your loyalty. Just curious, do you ever question your decision to maintain your relationship to that degree? You're missing out on a lot of store picks and I would imagine some brands your guy doesn't carry.

I realize about the store pix; but the five or six a year done at his place are almost always chosen by a group that includes me, so I nearly always love 'em.   Plus I get several from the pix done by our group (GBS) and the few 'extras I ever do pick up are in (or on the way to) Kentucky twice a year.   I really don't have room in my home, or in my schedule of imbibing (I can't keep up with many of the 'professional drinkers her! ) for much more than what this entails.   As to the very few my guy doesn't carry, he always will order anything I want that's on the Michigan List.    So, all in all, I'm pretty happy with things as they are.

[Kepler]

11 hours ago, callingtom said:

Right now they do not gouge me to badly, and I always get the first call when they come in.

 

Strange, they told me I always got the first call...