Good LHBS or Great LHBS?

[brandonnys]

This post may be in the wrong section, but it seemed like the best spot for it. I apologize if it needs to be moved.

I live in Oregon, in the PDX-Metro area, and we have a number of LHBS at our disposal.

We had one that never had the correct items in inventory, so if you built a special recipe, good luck getting exactly what you wanted. However, that shop was very welcoming and would have demos and answer your brewing questions, and they were a tad cheaper on most everything.

Another shop is exactly the opposite. The shop owner is way too busy to deal with customers, and his employees are elitists who just want you to get your sh*t and get out. With the exception of some really off-the-wall or expensive items, they have most everything.

I'm airing this all out because I feel like there should be some kind of middle ground.

I know that everyone values different things, so the purpose of this post wasn't just to pontificate (maybe bloviate?). I wanted to get a feel for what you all think makes a good LHBS a great one, and maybe what made a once great LHBS not so great.

Let's try to keep the names of the shops out of the thread, and just talk about the pros/cons of our LHBS's. If you feel like you want to write a review of your LHBS, I'm sure this is the right area of the forum, but not the right thread.

 

[brandonnys]

PRO: Being able to portion and mill your own grains.

CON: Being out of stock on very basic things (hydrometer, floating thermometer, caps, 2-Row)

 

[str1p3s]

I'm on my third place. My current place is so far away from my house that it's a PITA but it's the best one so far. Helpful if I ask but they don't hover around you while you're trying to get your grains measured and milled.

The first one I went to, the guy wasn't helpful at all. Just kind of pointed me to the grain room even when I repeatedly said it was the first AG brew I was doing and I didn't know how to operate their equipment or the protocol they like people to use in their grain room.

The second one, the guy would hover and seemingly try to help, but in all the wrong ways. But after he answered my initial questions and I got the gist of how to use the grain room, he would hover and I would have to repeatedly say "I think I got it, I'll let you know if I need help".

Obviously having basic things in stock is a priority. But I think the right amount and quality of customer service is the best. Knowing how and when to help a new brewer as well as an experienced one without making the whole thing uncomfortable. I started to think that you had to be a weird socially awkward person to work in a home brew store!

 

[brandonnys]

How far out of your way is your current shop?

 

[Redtab78]

We have an amazing shop when it comes to helpful insight and customer service, our problem is its the only shop for miles, and there is sooooo many brewers around here, they just cant keep grain in stock....its been 2 weeks since they have had 2 row.....they have everything else though! Well.....they only carry wyeast liquids, so getting white labs is a drive, or mail order.

This wasnt always the case though, they use to be "ok" but since there was a change in ownership and employees, it has really bounced back!

 

[brandonnys]

Well.....they only carry wyeast liquids, so getting white labs is a drive, or mail order.

This wasnt always the case though, they use to be "ok" but since there was a change in ownership and employees, it has really bounced back!

Do you think the new owners just decide to not carry White Labs, or is it like the 2-row and is just continually out of stock?

 

[brandonnys]

I'm on my third place. My current place is so far away from my house that it's a PITA but it's the best one so far. Helpful if I ask but they don't hover around you while you're trying to get your grains measured and milled.

The first one I went to, the guy wasn't helpful at all. Just kind of pointed me to the grain room even when I repeatedly said it was the first AG brew I was doing and I didn't know how to operate their equipment or the protocol they like people to use in their grain room.

The second one, the guy would hover and seemingly try to help, but in all the wrong ways. But after he answered my initial questions and I got the gist of how to use the grain room, he would hover and I would have to repeatedly say "I think I got it, I'll let you know if I need help".

Obviously having basic things in stock is a priority. But I think the right amount and quality of customer service is the best. Knowing how and when to help a new brewer as well as an experienced one without making the whole thing uncomfortable. I started to think that you had to be a weird socially awkward person to work in a home brew store!

DOs:

- Have stuff in stock
- Be available, approachable, and have knowledge to help your customers
- Make your protocols apparent through signage or training

DONTs:

- Hover over your customers. Nobody likes that.
- Think of your LHBS like a self-serve FroYo store. Some people need your help.
- Be a dick.

 

[str1p3s]

How far out of your way is your current shop?

It's about half hour from where I work, in the other direction of where I live, so about an hour from my house.

 

[brandonnys]

It's about half hour from where I work, in the other direction of where I live, so about an hour from my house.

So you're willing to drive two hours round-trip to go to a higher quality HBS? That's dedication.

 

[kh54s10]

First place is great. But it is on the wrong side of a metro area and was not always open. They could do most recipes. light on equipment though.

The second place was in a bad area, I would not go there at night. It was well received but has since gone out of business. There are two others that I have not been to.

The newest is close by, has most everything you need. The owner is great. I go there all the time now.

 

[dstockwell]

No LHBS unless someone would consider 1.5Hr local.. Online most always.

 

[Redtab78]

Do you think the new owners just decide to not carry White Labs, or is it like the 2-row and is just continually out of stock?

They just dont carry it

 

[str1p3s]

So you're willing to drive two hours round-trip to go to a higher quality HBS? That's dedication.

I've only ever gone after work. So not quite as bad. I would have to be pretty desperate to make that trip from home. The first place closed, the second place is just about as far as my preferred one. Plus it's also a brewery and tap room so I can get a beer