Premier Gone Down Hill?

[BobbyOK]

Choices, choices, choices.

https://twitter.com/PremierWinesHFX/sta ... 6484216833" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://twitter.com/harvestwines/status ... 3822464000" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://twitter.com/CristallWine/status ... 3609992192" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Keith]

HA.

[Keith]

I just had to reply with a link to the original thread. lol.
Great idea tho....

[RubberToe]

I just had to reply with a link to the original thread. lol.
Great idea tho....

We aren't the first to do a beer advent calendar. IMHO it makes us look bad.

[jeffsmith]

I just had to reply with a link to the original thread. lol.
Great idea tho....

We aren't the first to do a beer advent calendar. IMHO it makes us look bad.

If we're hoping for these stores to improve their selection and listen to our suggestions we definitely don't want them to be our enemy...

[BobbyOK]

I just had to reply with a link to the original thread. lol.
Great idea tho....

We aren't the first to do a beer advent calendar. IMHO it makes us look bad.

If we're hoping for these stores to improve their selection and listen to our suggestions we definitely don't want them to be our enemy...

Therein lies the problem with the whole system. Nobody with skin in the game wants to speak up about this for fear of reprisal. Hell, even individuals in support of the private stores don't want to speak out because they expect that complaints will just lead the NSLC to scrap the existing licenses. And hell, I didn't even realize how blatant they were about the arrangement: http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/1 ... t-planning" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Rod Levy has invested in what might appear to be an unusual retirement vehicle.

“I’m not trained in that line of business,” the new owner of Premier Wine and Spirits, one of the province’s four private specialty liquor stores, said in an interview Wednesday.

Levy, vice-president of retail operations with Bell Aliant in Bedford, said he’s a few years away from retirement and was looking for an opportunity to diversify his portfolio.

“My life savings were controlled by someone else,” he said. “This gives me more control.”

Levy said he was encouraged to look into buying the specialty store by Mickey MacDonald, an old friend who sold DownEast Communications to Bell Aliant in 2004 for a reported $22 million.

“He said it was something I should get into,” Levy said.

MacDonald owns Harvest Wines and Spirits in Dartmouth and his son Colin owns Cristall Wine Merchants Ltd. in Bedford, two other private liquor stores.

Levy said he is the sole equity stakeholder in Premier Wine, which he bought from original owner Jim Foster last fall for an undisclosed price.

But he said the Halifax store will be managed by MICCO Companies, MacDonald’s holding company, which also manages Harvest and Cristall.

“Premier staff will work for MICCO,” Levy said.

He said the three stores will benefit from synergies, including shared warehousing and distribution, which used to be handled by the Nova Scotia Liquor Corp.

MacDonald confirmed Wednesday he had no financial stake in Premier, but said the three stores will have the same buyer, industry veteran Todd Cristall, who co-founded the Bedford store with prominent grocer and winemaker Pete Luckett.

MacDonald said the three stores will continue to offer different consumer experiences, despite the collaboration.

“We offer different locations, different varieties of wine,” he said, noting that Premier focuses on international beers as well as wine.

MacDonald didn’t think the three-store collaboration was unfair to the province’s fourth private liquor store, Bishop’s Cellar on the Halifax waterfront, which is owned by prominent local developer Jim Spatz of Southwest Properties.

“Jim’s a good friend,” he said. “We’re not working against Jim.”

Bishop’s Cellar, which has its own warehouse and distribution system, isn’t concerned about the close relationship among the province’s other three private liquor stores, said general manager Matt Rogers.

“We focus on our own business,” he said in an interview Wednesday.

The specialty stores are regulated by the Nova Scotia Liquor Corp.

NSLC spokesman Mike Maloney said the corporation encourages the stores to work together.

“It’s tough to be profitable,” he said, noting that private store sales account for less than five per cent of total liquor sales in the province.

Maloney said the corporation phased out free warehousing services for the private stores because it provided no incentive for them to manage their inventories strategically.

[jeffsmith]

My meaning was that their beer advent calendar was likely nothing to do with ours being an idea. Beer stores/clubs have been doing that for years. It looks bad on us as a club to be claiming that out idea was original.

When it comes to the fact that the private stores themselves are basically a monopoly, that's a whole different story.

[Keith]

Just found it funny that they are doing it just after we pop the idea up here. Advent isn't our idea by no means, but just seems kinda odd they are doing it after trolling our forums.

[LiverDance]

My meaning was that their beer advent calendar was likely nothing to do with ours being an idea. Beer stores/clubs have been doing that for years. It looks bad on us as a club to be claiming that out idea was original.

I'm glad we are doing it, it's a fun Idea but far from our own. I've seen many other brewmunities do it and as well a lot of beer shops/breweries

[BobbyOK]

My meaning was that their beer advent calendar was likely nothing to do with ours being an idea. Beer stores/clubs have been doing that for years. It looks bad on us as a club to be claiming that out idea was original.

I'm glad we are doing it, it's a fun Idea but far from our own. I've seen many other brewmunities do it and as well a lot of beer shops/breweries

I was going to point Jonathan to the fact that I've been tweeting about my "beervent" calendar for the last two years, but it would have taken away from the point of my argument. Have to say I'm a little disappointed he didn't respond to my question here though: https://twitter.com/Bobby_OK/status/530034963966488576" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[chalmers]

I'd have to agree with Jeff and Rob, I doubt they took the idea from us, and if they did, we're just taking it from other clubs.

Bobby, I wonder what the going price is for just the license? Do we know who to approach at the NSLC to look to expand the program to 5 or 10 or 100 private stores? Mike Maloney quoted in that article?

[jeffsmith]

My meaning was that their beer advent calendar was likely nothing to do with ours being an idea. Beer stores/clubs have been doing that for years. It looks bad on us as a club to be claiming that out idea was original.

I'm glad we are doing it, it's a fun Idea but far from our own. I've seen many other brewmunities do it and as well a lot of beer shops/breweries

I was going to point Jonathan to the fact that I've been tweeting about my "beervent" calendar for the last two years, but it would have taken away from the point of my argument. Have to say I'm a little disappointed he didn't respond to my question here though: https://twitter.com/Bobby_OK/status/530034963966488576" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Haha, well done, sir. I'll be watching for his response to that. Regardless, I think we're talking about two different things in this thread.

[BobbyOK]

I'd have to agree with Jeff and Rob, I doubt they took the idea from us, and if they did, we're just taking it from other clubs.

Bobby, I wonder what the going price is for just the license? Do we know who to approach at the NSLC to look to expand the program to 5 or 10 or 100 private stores? Mike Maloney quoted in that article?

To my knowledge, there is none. Mike Maloney is just the PR guy I'd expect. I doubt the NSLC would have the ability to simply issue a new license without approval from the legislature, so unless Jonathan was suggesting that Bishop's Cellar is for sale, he already knows why simply buying a license is not possible. And in the ensuing discussion it was pointed out that Mickey MacDonald and the current NSLC CEO have close ties. So no matter what you'd be fighting an uphill battle.

[LeafMan66_67]

Advent calendar by a craft beer store - how can that be a bad thing? And definitely far from an original idea by us or them.

[BobbyOK]

Advent calendar by a craft beer store - how can that be a bad thing? And definitely far from an original idea by us or them.

It's not. It's the fact that there aren't 3 or 4 different options to choose from.

[LeafMan66_67]

Advent calendar by a craft beer store - how can that be a bad thing? And definitely far from an original idea by us or them.

It's not. It's the fact that there aren't 3 or 4 different options to choose from.

As far as I know, it's year one for the advent calendar from the craft beer store(s) in this area - personally I'd say give it a chance. Choice prior to this was nil, or make your own. Perhaps if successful, or based on customer comments this year, they will have multiple choices of beer advent calendars in future years or even a "custom" option with some multiple choices. Everything has to start somewhere.

[BobbyOK]

I guess my theory that the person in charge of selection will be at the whim of MICCO gets put to the test now - Jonathan is moving to NB to be their beer category manager. I think this is good for NB. Doubtful it's good for Halifax.

https://twitter.com/jonathanwil/status/ ... 3857419265" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[GuingesRock]

What happened? Just went there and closed up. Just an empty space.

[LeafMan66_67]

What happened? Just went there and closed up. Just an empty space.

Mark - it moved to the Sobeys on Windsor Street - now called Rockhead

[Keith]

They moved and rebranded to Rockhead, they are located at 2651 Windsor Street now.

[GuingesRock]

Thanks.

[Jayme]

Right across the street from me now! However less selection that ever They do have a growler filling station now which is kind of neat I guess, but the prices thus far have been ~$13-16 which is starting to defeat the purpose of a growler in some ways...