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: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/421848
16 Beverage Dynamics • November/December 2014 www.beveragedynamics.com [ RETAIL PROFILE ] poke fun at a family friend's middle name, and also because the Dinsmores wanted a unique and whimsical name to rebrand their business). "None of this would have been possible were it not for our investors," Dinsmore says. "They're awesome. They have always been there to support us every step of the way, and it defi nitely paid off." Dinsmore won't reveal his annual sales totals, but he estimates that his store does an average of fi ve times as much business now than it did 10 years ago in the old location. In 2013 alone, Wilbur's serviced more than 800,000 shoppers. One advantage that Wilbur's has going for it is the Colorado law that stipulates companies can only operate one liquor store location, regardless of its size. "Even large corporations like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's are only allowed to sell liquor at one Colorado location, so there are no chains," Dinsmore explains. "It gives each area the opportunity to have its own player." The area Dinsmore chose for his business is certainly a solid one. Fort Collins is located about an hour north of Denver, and Wilbur's is one mile south of Colorado State University, which is a huge employer and provides a great customer base of people of all ages. Because of its proximity to the Colorado border, Wilbur's does a lot of regional business and regularly attracts customers from Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, and other neighboring states. Colorado is also a popular base for the many microbreweries, which have erupted in the past several years, allowing Wilbur's to develop strong relation- ships with brewers and become known as a go-to hub for all things craft beer. Wilbur's services a diverse and educated client base, and custom- ers are always eagerly clamoring for the latest new products. Dins- more reports that his store carries approximately 12,000 different products on any given day, and is committed to procuring special orders per customer requests. In addition to an extensive beer selec- tion (customers are in awe of the store's impressive 62-door cooler), Wilbur's is known for offering more than 10,000 variations of wine (wine sales account for 50% of the store's total business). On the liquor side, Wilbur's caters to a wide variety of products and price ranges, from 99-cent shooters to $5,000 bottles of cognac. The store also has a large giftware section, featuring everything from beer open- ers to glassware. In addition to his commitment to offering customers a diverse product selection, Dinsmore is careful to keep an eye on the latest trends. As is the case just about everywhere, craft beer is all the rage right now and shows no signs of slowing down. "What excites me the most about craft beer is that it's getting people to try new things," Dinsmore says. "We're watching our cus- tomers become more educated about the products they're buying, and we as retailers are then able to connect with our customers on a whole new level." On the liquor side, Dinsmore reports that vodka continues to be the category leader, but he's observed American whiskey and Bour- bon continue to rise in sales over the past several years, thanks in part to the Mad Men-inspired classic cocktail craze. As far as wine is concerned, while many regions have reported seeing an increase in moscato sales, Dinsmore hasn't noticed that trend taking off in his store. He has, however, seen a resurgence in customer demand for more high-end wine products. "People are really starting to come back after the recession, and our sales are evidence of that," Dinsmore says. "During the recession, we couldn't unload bottles of wine that cost over $12. People weren't interested in spending that kind of money. Now, as the economy is getting better and people are also becoming more knowledgeable about beer and wine in general, you're seeing that people are once again willing to pay a little more for unique or high-quality products." In an effort to effectively promote its robust product offerings, Wilbur's operates an extensive marketing and communications plan. The Wilbur's Rewards Card launched 10 years ago and is currently used by more than 60,000 customers. When using the card, custom- ers accrue points resulting in a return value of 1 percent of their total purchases. The company also does some print advertising and sends biweekly e-mail messages to its list of subscribers. Social media has proven to be a popular outlet for Wilbur's customers. The company's Facebook page has more than 5,000 likes and consistently generates customer engagement. "Facebook has been huge for us," Dinsmore says. "It helps us get access to our customers in a way no other method can. And as long as you use common sense and don't spam people with too many posts or posts that are irrelevant, people are pretty receptive to it." Colorado is a popular base for the many microbreweries, which have erupted in the past several years, allowing Wilbur's to develop strong relationships with brewers and become known as a go-to hub for all things craft beer.