Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/104187
cheeses to dry out. We're noticing the cheeses are holding up longer and improving as they are supposed to, and we're starting to get a regular clientele who recognizes this." All told, Premier carries roughly 500 cheese varieties. Warehouse Processes Improved W hile Mark and Jon came up with an advantage in cheese storage, Burt was reveling in the advantages of his newly spacious wine and spirPremier Gourmet carries approximately 500 varieties of cheese. its storage. The warehouse area is foam, and consequently waste. 30 feet high with shelving reaching 24 feet – quite an "This way we're not giving customers something upgrade from the mix of 10 and 16 heights in the old flat, instead we're serving beers that can last three to store and the three different storage areas using tired four months unopened – we've tested that and they are technology. fresh as can be," says Mark. Because of the freshness Now with wi-fi available through the entire area, the Pegas system provides, staff can fill growlers to staffers are capable of tracking, updating and labelempty kegs and sell them from the coolers. Mark ing inventory more easily from anywhere, and deep keeps the growler selection keyed to high-end or hard- reach machines can pull items more efficiently from to-find brews – for instance, Dogfish 120 IPA, a the shelves; the stocking process is much more favorite of bitter-brew lovers, streamlined, Burt says. goes for $29 for the 32 oz. and "Our rate of pull accuracy $40 for the 64 oz. growler. and our speed has improved Between the growler statremendously; with 11,000 tion, beer cooler and bottles items, this is a much better on the shelves, Premier way of doing it." Gourmet offers up to 1,500 Also better organized is different beers when fully the store's product review stocked. The bottle and can system; previously, bottles business is strong as well – could become buried Mark says that beer sales have beneath an array of positive comprised about 25% of the notices taped on the shelves. Mark Notarius, store's business in the first few Now each item is limited to Premier Gourmet one or two shelf postings, months – with a 57x24-foot but with as many as 25,000 walk-in cooler dedicated to beer. "There's been a huge increase in browsing and current product reviews in the computer data base, impulse sales, especially in larger 12-packs," he says. customers can scan a QSR code at the shelf to read Unlike many beer-focused places, Premier also fea- various evaluations. While Burt's attention was focused on filling an tures national mainstream brands and local favorite expanded space, the brothers had different concerns; Labatt's. The cheese "cave," a seven-foot tall refrigerator how to fit more products into a smaller footprint. "We took advantage of the space's height, made case that is said to be one of a kind in Western New York, simulates the conditions of a European aging major upgrades to lighting, and used the height in the cellar, says Mark. "We aim for a little higher humidity way we merchandise the store," says Mark. "That makes and temperature that helps soft ripened cheeses the store seem more spacious. Most people come in and mature and develop complexity, compared to the high say, 'Wow, it's so much bigger,' when in fact it's 30 per30s temperature in many cases, which can cause cent smaller." " There's been a huge increase in browsing and impulse sales [of beer], especially in larger 12-packs. " Beverage Dynamics • www.beveragedynamics.com • January/February 2013 • 23