42 Beverage Dynamics • September/October 2014
www.beveragedynamics.com
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'cherry pickers,'" he says. "Because of that Buster's is unique because
we're able on the one hand to supply value, but on the other end
service the high end customer looking for a special wine or spirit."
Buster's was voted the premier wine shop and liquor store for the
Memphis Flyer's reader's poll for nearly two consecutive decades.
Meanwhile, Buster's deals with the changes that took place July
1, adding items including Reidel glassware, wine accessories and a
wider selection of beer (before the new law, wine and spirits retailers
were limited to selling beer at six percent alcohol and above — now,
all beer can be stocked).
Buster's may be the largest wine and spirits retailer in the state at
10,000 square feet, but the Hammond's are eyeing further expansion
of perhaps as much as 6,000 adjacent feet.Those plans are prelimi-
nary, though, and Josh doesn't expect any announcement before the
end of the year.
"Before the bill passed, we couldn't even sell a corkscrew, but this
has opened the door to things like gourmet food and breads, oils
and vinegars and high end products, and that's why we're looking to
expand," he says. "We don't want to give up our core business, but
we think it's an opportunity for us to become a full service beverage
center with perhaps a growler station and tasting areas."
That wouldn't be the fi rst time Buster's has expanded.
In its current location in East Memphis, Buster's got a fresh start
when founder Buster Hammond and son Rommy sold the stores
they owned separately in downtown Memphis and started fresh
together in what was then East Memphis.
In the following years, the city sprawled eastward, so much
so that Buster's is now on the border between midtown and East
Memphis, prime real estate only blocks away from the University of
Memphis along a main thoroughfare.
And what started as 1,000 square feet in 1968 has expanded seven
times to reach its current 10,000 square feet as spaces opened up in
their shopping center location. Featuring a wide selection of wine,
beer and spirits, the store is proud of its tagline, "If we don't have it,
you don't need it."
That sort of expansion is only possible when built on a sig-
nifi cantly loyal customer base. "We've remained popular from a
combination of things, but fi rst and foremost it's our hospitality
and service, recognizing our customers when they walk in and try-
ing to help them fi nd what they want while being friendly. When
you do those kind of things, you build a rapport, and that's really
important," Josh says.
Featuring a wide selection of wine, beer and spirits, the store is proud of its tagline, "If we don't have it, you don't need it."
