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/379477
www.beveragedynamics.com September/October 2014 • Beverage Dynamics 43 [ RETAIL PROFILE ] Going the extra mile, making special orders, seeking out hard to fi nd items — these are the sorts of services Buster's built their repu- tation on, he says, and it's something that grocers won't and can't provide. Josh attributes Buster's growth from a liquor retailer to a na- tionally known wine merchant to his father's interest and curiosity in exploring and expanding the store's wine selection in the early 1970s. He pioneered the broadening of the wine retailing business in Memphis by taking on and promoting wines from unknown regions, at a time when California was best known for jug wines. "Having that philosophy toward wine and appreciation of it has allowed us to continue that reputation to the present day," he says. "But it goes hand-in-hand with service. We've got the wine people want, but what makes a difference is our people out there every day talking with our customers, working with them and communicating with them." He considers having several well qualifi ed wine experts on staff, as well as numerous staff members eager to participate in pouring samples and speaking with customers at events, a very important aspect of the store's marketing approach. Even though Memphis is a sophisticated wine market, regional preferences infl uence the company's purchasing decisions. "We've prided ourselves on our Italian, French and even Spanish wine selec- tion, but make no mistake about it, when you think about Mephis and the South, our cuisine is geared toward a sweeter palate and that's refl ected in the wines we carry," he says. "The majority of the people in the South want fruit-forward and easy to drink wines, rather than dusty or extremely dry; however, they are willing to explore." So in addition to fi ne wines, Buster's has maintained a connec- tion to national and regional trends, like the growth of Moscato and sweeter wines in the past few years. "These can make a good entry for many wine consumers — they have to start somewhere, and if you give them a dry or tannic wine the fi rst time, it might not do it for them. There are not enough starting points out there until they can begin to educate and grow their palates." Another consideration in the possible future expansion is Buster's' welcoming of new products. "Because we continue to say 'yes' to our suppliers, our store continues to expand. When we take on new items, our staff gets excited about them, and then so do the custom- ers. We dare to go where others weren't willing to, maybe, and put up dollars to buy wine when others wouldn't." But the folks in charge of Buster's aren't as swift to say 'yes' these days. The economy of the last six years or so changed how they approach product selection. "The recession taught us some lessons on how to be good retail- ers. We were at a point where everything we stocked sold — it didn't matter what the price point was and we didn't have to make critical decisions about what to bring in. But the recession really made every retailer step up and make some changes — now we have some prod- ucts on the shelf that are going to require more attention. Foot traffi c solves a lot of problems, but when you have the foot traffi c and the customers don't have as much money, that's a different problem." So close outs to reduce stock are more common now, and new items need to establish a market quickly. "We're loaded to the max, and you can't welcome new products when you've got no place to put them. So you've got to address that by moving out old stock Buster's staff includes 1 Caitlin Belisario, Marketing Director; 2 Morgan Hammond IV, CEO; 3 Patty Smith, Offi ce Manager; 4 John Vego, Senior Wine Manager; 5 Bill Boywid, General Manager; 6 Rachel Cotham, Assistant Offi ce Manager; 7 Rommy Hammond III, Chairman; 8 Mark Stuart, Events Manager; and 9 Josh Hammond, President. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9