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/565520
[ RETAIL PROFILE ] 28 Beverage Dynamics • September/October 2015 www.beveragedynamics.com diverse clientele that this helps bring in. College students will sit next to doctors and lawyers at the bar and converse with each other." "Unlike most bars in Las Vegas, there's no gaming at the store and no loud music. It's brightly lit and the TV is rarely turned on," he says. "On a Saturday afternoon, it's not surpris- ing to see a group of friends back there with a bottle of wine and a pizza, playing monopoly." Customers will bring in food from nearby restaurants. With the consent of those businesses, the store will also host food trucks during tasting nights. As for growlers, Khoury's will fill up any size from any brand. The store also offers their own branded glass jugs for $5. The cost of a fill — hose to bottom — is $10 and up, depend- ing on the brew. The pub, beyond being a source of sales, also aids the retail side. "It's convenient because you can suggest that a customer try a beer from the tap before they buy a bottle of it," says Jameson Gutierr, a sales associate who specializes in beer. "Overwhelmingly, people new to our business always ask about it. They're not used to seeing a bar in a retail store." "It elevated the store to a whole new level," says Kammaye Rude, store manager. "Having draft and wine by the glass al- lows us to interact with customers on a whole different level. They become like friends and family. A high percentage of our business is repeat. And that happens by sharing great beers and wines that perhaps you wouldn't be able to taste otherwise. LOCAL EMPHASIS Another competitive advantage for Khoury's is an adherence to local products. Its owner prides himself on fostering relations with distill- eries and breweries from around the area. As a result, the store receives small-batch products that come out no more than 20 to 30 cases at a time. "We try to emphasize local as much as possible," Khoury says. He recalls a period in particular when his customers were seeking local products. "A number of years ago, when the economy was struggling, a lot of my clientele were prideful and wanted to keep their spending within the community," he remembers. "Thankfully that has continued forward - not because people necessarily feel the same need to keep it local, but because you can get such good stuff now locally." Besides building loyalty among regular customers, a wide selection of Nevada products also appeals to tourists passing through Vegas. "People from out of town come in looking for beers that they don't get in their market," says Gutierr. "So I point them towards our local beers. It's something new that they haven't tried." The shop also cultivates close ties with lesser-known vine- yards. "Our wine business is very focused on smaller pro- duction and very specific wines throughout California and elsewhere," Rude explains. "For instance, we have a great re-