Does North Orange County need a LHBS ?

[oc eric]

I've been debating, with several people, about wether or not North Orange County needs a LHBS or not. I thought a poll of our club might help settle the argument.

Thx for indulging me.

[jward]

When you get free shipping from B3 when spending ~$60 it's hard to need a LHBS. Of course, at the rate I have been brewing B3 would be out of business.

[lars]

Really, I'm not sure. With two of our club members having given it a go and shut down their shops for various reasons, I'd be really cautious.

[lexuschris]

I voted yes to the poll, purely for selfish reasons. I liked being able to stop in on short notice & buy supplies for the weekend brew.

However, I have been girding myself to be more of an online buyer. I bought some extra air-tight containers this weekend, and picked up some Golden Promise, Munich Malt, and some different types of crystal from an OHBS (online home-brew store). I also order 3# of hops from hopsdirect.com. So, I guess I will survive without a LHBS... I just have to plan ahead a bit ...and that is probably a good thing for my brewing too.

I agree, that anyone wanting to start a homebrew shop, should really evaluate the costs, cash flow & carrying costs as well as potential profits (if any). It seems like a challenging business, especially in Southern California (e.g. high rent factors, high cost of labor)...
--lexuschris

[Oskaar]

I voted no.

Lars mentioned the main reason, two up and two down in the North County already. Seems like the demand for a local shop just isn't enough to support it with enough of a revenue base to keep the doors open. Online options like B3 are very attractive because they make it easy to do the ordering whenever one wishes to do so.

[SCBeerDude]

Ignorant question: What does "B3" stand for? Sounds like a popular on line supply shop. . .

[lars]

Ignorant question: What does "B3" stand for? Sounds like a popular on line supply shop. . .

Beer, Beer, and More Beer. www.morebeer.com

Club members get a 10% discount in store (the closest store is in Riverside). Just be sure to show your membership card.

[SCBeerDude]

Ignorant question: What does "B3" stand for? Sounds like a popular on line supply shop. . .

Beer, Beer, and More Beer. http://www.morebeer.com

Club members get a 10% discount in store (the closest store is in Riverside). Just be sure to show your membership card.

LOL! Thanks. Would never have guessed that MB = B3!

[brahn]

I agree with Lars and Oskaar. I really enjoyed being able to head over to Zymurguy and BP, but I just don't think there's sufficient demand. I liked having a club discount too! I wonder if any of the online HBS would offer us a club discount? It probably wouldn't hurt to ask...

[backyard brewer]

Ignorant question: What does "B3" stand for? Sounds like a popular on line supply shop. . .

Beer, Beer, and More Beer. http://www.morebeer.com

Club members get a 10% discount in store (the closest store is in Riverside). Just be sure to show your membership card.

LOL! Thanks. Would never have guessed that MB = B3!

Yeah, they used to go by Beer, Beer and More Beer. They've sort of scaled back to just More Beer

[oc eric]

I voted yes to the poll, purely for selfish reasons. I liked being able to stop in on short notice & buy supplies for the weekend brew.
--lexuschris

This is my point for having a LHBS. Having siad that I just don't know if there is enough business to support one. B3 has great prices and free shipping, IF you spend ~$60 and IF you want to wait 3-5 days for your order. What B3 doesn't have is a store in N. OC that you can go to when you've forgotten something, or just want to buy some yeast, or heck even if you just want to hang out and talk beer with someone as into it as you. Again, I'm not sure if N. OC can support a LHBS...

Thanks to everyone that submitted comments. Any of you "Yes" voters care to comment on why you think we need a LHBS?

[JonGoku]

I voted yes to the poll, purely for selfish reasons. I liked being able to stop in on short notice & buy supplies for the weekend brew.
--lexuschris

Thanks to everyone that submitted comments. Any of you "Yes" voters care to comment on why you think we need a LHBS?

Ditto on what Chris said, although I'd prefer if it were actually west Orange County.

[backyard brewer]

Any of you "Yes" voters care to comment on why you think we need a LHBS?

For the same reasons you mention. B3 has great prices but is far from convenient. When I brew, it's often on a whim. Being able to get the extra grains and yeast I need is make or break to me brewing. I can get to North OC at lunch, can't get to Riverside at lunch.

However, there have been several that have tried and failed. I don't know the magic formula, but I sure would have though Bruery Provisions would have had the best shot since they were already buying a lot of the ingreidents. It really seems like it should have worked, but it didn't support itself even being propped up by The Bruery.

Zymurguy tried it, had a good location I thought and it should have worked as well. It didn't.

Others I know of in past were Fun Fermentations in Orange; was there for quite a while, now gone. There was also a guy for a while on Sky Park Cr in Irvine/Santa Ana/Costa Mesa/Tustin where they all crash by the airport.

The only one I know of that has been succesful was Shrine of the Brew God but only because Keith Hinkel ran it from his house and the front of his house was open to the public. He passed away a few years ago, liver problems I hear.

One other thing that was never really mentioned by Kevin at BP are the regulations faced inOC. They were forced to get rid of any open grain containers unless they purchased a "packaging and Processing License" This forced them to break down all the specialty grain into 1 pound increments and created way more overhead than selling the grain supported.

I'd love to see one work, but i think it has to be someone's hobby that doesn't NEED the income.

[maltbarley]

Brewing is an intimidating hobby and without training at the most basic levels, your customer base will grow very slowly. By recruiting newbies and teaching them how to brew, not only do you get nearly all of their start-up business, you get the opportunity to build a relationship where they know they can come to you for advice. Don't try to take on B3 or Northern Brewer...you'll lose. Create new customers and it's a win/win.

[lexuschris]

Others I know of in past were Fun Fermentations in Orange; was there for quite a while, now gone.

Yeah, those were the guys that got me started back in the early 90's. I used their original begginer brew equipment kit (& instructions) for many many years. Good times.
--lexuschris