Beverage Dynamics

Beverage Dynamics - March 2015

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.

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www.beveragedynamics.com March/April 2015 • Beverage Dynamics 27 [ RETAIL PROFILE ] "It's a fun way to encourage our customers to come out, have a good time, and browse a large selection of the different types of products we have to offer them," Lisa explains. "People look forward to it and keep coming back every year." Spec's offers a customer rewards program in the form of a fre- quent shopper card, giving exclusive product discounts to regular customers. The company also places a huge value on its marketing efforts, including a strong presence on social media. Spec's is active on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and LinkedIn. These platforms are utilized to actively engage cus- tomers with the brand, letting people know about products and events and also encouraging feedback. Lisa is especially proud of the company's video efforts, which have been pushed out on YouTube and other social media channels. A "Wine Down" video series delivers information about different wines to customers in eight minutes or less. Spec Fest activities are highlighted in video features, as are special events, such as when Dan Aykroyd visited a Spec's location several years ago to autograph bottles of his product, Crystal Head Vodka. LOOKING AHEAD So what does the future hold for Spec's? There's no master plan, so to speak, but the Rydmans will continue looking at growth oppor- tunities, all within state limits. "I don't see us going out of Texas," John says. "Although we have so many stores here, the liquor laws are all consistent across the state and we know how to work them. That makes it easier to manage things from an operations standpoint. And there's also a lot more we can do here for the people of Texas. We're just trying to get better at what we do and serve our customers as best we can." More than focusing on expansion, the Rydmans strive to contin- ually maintain and improve their business. John jokes that his family is used to working 40 hour days, and that they're all committed to doing the best that they can every single day. Lisa agrees. "We focus more on what we can do today than what we can do a year from now," she says. "We are always looking for ways to make improvements in our stores. Our maintenance team is al- ways working around the clock to make store improvements and enhancements. There are always new products to research and new opportunities to explore. If we aren't doing all of those things every single day, we aren't doing our jobs." It's obvious that the Rydmans are completely dedicated to their customers and to their company. With that kind of commitment, it's likely that Spec's will see continued success over the years. But what kind of succession plan do they have in place when John, Lindy, and Lisa retire? Only time will tell. Lisa's oldest son is only 16, so he has a while to go before deciding whether to launch a career with Spec's. In the meantime, Lisa has en- couraged her children to get involved with the company by working at the stores over the holidays, which is what she used to do as a kid. "It's our dream to keep the business strong for them, but in the end it's completely up to them what they want to do," she says. "Regardless, though, being born into this business is all I've ever known, and working here as a child taught me the value of working hard. That's something I hope to pass along to my children, no matter what." BD

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