Beverage Dynamics

Beverage Dynamics Jan-Feb 2016

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/621120

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 18 of 71

of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye of the ye www.beveragedynamics.com January/February 2016• Beverage Dynamics 19 9,000-square-foot Poughkeepsie location opened in 2002 with about 600 SKUs. Craft beer was just then becoming an industry-shifting trend. Alan remained at its forefront. Along with the Poughkeepsie store, he built up one of the largest beer distribution businesses on the eastern sea- board. He then sold Liberty Distribution in 2007 to spend more time on retail. Five years later, he and his son opened the second Half Time location. At 20,000 square feet, the Mamaroneck store claims to have the largest craft beer selection in the world. "Our cooler in Mamaroneck has 50 doors," Jason says. "It's the largest cooler of its kind in North America." Jason, at age 26, was prominently involved in launching Mamaroneck. With a background in real estate, he selected an ideal location: a dilap- idated industrial building in a densely populated, affl uent neighborhood. He oversaw the building's transformation from blight to business, raising awareness about the new location with a beer fest that matched the store's scope. BEER INNOVATIONS Half Time tapped into the building craft fervor in 2002 in part by adding a novel feature. "We pioneered growler fi lls in the store," Jason says. Although many competitors have since caught up with their own growler stations, the feature is still popu- lar at Half Time. The Mamaroneck store boasts 22 taps, bringing in $5,000 in monthly revenue. "A lot of people want to taste something fresh," Jason explains. "And a lot of breweries make their names based on freshness. Our growler programs are unbelievable ways to get fresh beers into customers' hands." Modern drinkers treat growlers the way they would a bottle of wine. "They want to share it at a party," Jason says. "It creates a romance between the person bringing the growler and the people they share it with." "When you go to dinner, you want to taste the wine before you spend $50 on a bottle," he adds. "Our growler taps act similarly in a retail sense." A number of in-store tastings each week also helps expose customers to products before purchase. With the stores' large size, tastings allow for a more-personal relationship between brewer and drinker, while helping pinpoint what types of beer appeal to each person. STAYING FRESH Half Time can't expect to educate consumers if the store doesn't maintain knowledgeable staff. "The most important thing is market research," DeSimone says. "We have to keep " We have five to ten employees on the floor at all times, asking if they can help. " — Jason Daniels, COO

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Beverage Dynamics - Beverage Dynamics Jan-Feb 2016