Liquor Store Help

[davidI]

I'm working on my Marketing 317 project and our company sells a high quality black currant wine. I'm looking for names of a few nice liquor stores in certain areas that could possibly sell her product. I've looked through the yellow pages but it is often hard to distinguish a nice store that would sell wines from those stores that sell 40's to the homeless just from the name of the store alone.

If anyone lives around Harvest Hills, Ogden, Oakridge, Midnapore, Lakeview, or Douglas Glen and you know either the name or approximate address of a nicer liquor retailer with a decent selection of wines I'd love to know ASAP! Thanx.

[1badPT]

damn, I was hoping you were looking for a consumer hehe.

seriously though, it probably wouldn't hurt to go in to a few in the area and ask who their purchaser is and go from there, if you see the place yourself, you'll be able to judge a lot better plus you'll carry more weight than if your trying to sell by phone. Selling by phone is great if you're calling people far away, but if you know the areas you want to sell in you'll have better success going in person. Just a suggestion - good luck with whatever you decide. What's the product name by the way?

[tictactoe2004]

Willow Park... in willow park village... they even have their own wine tasting show on TV

[davidI]

Originally posted by 1badPT
damn, I was hoping you were looking for a consumer hehe.

seriously though, it probably wouldn't hurt to go in to a few in the area and ask who their purchaser is and go from there, if you see the place yourself, you'll be able to judge a lot better plus you'll carry more weight than if your trying to sell by phone. Selling by phone is great if you're calling people far away, but if you know the areas you want to sell in you'll have better success going in person. Just a suggestion - good luck with whatever you decide. What's the product name by the way?

I'm not actually trying to do the selling. The product is called Rigby Orchards Black Currant wine but the fruit is grown by Roaming River Ranches out of Southern Alberta. All I'm basically hoping to do is give the lady who markets the company a few names of nicer establishments in wealthier districts that her retailers do not currently cater to. She will be the one deciding if the store meets her need and she will be the one contacting the buyer. I'm just giving her a few suggestions! The project is due on Monday and this is just a supplemental part of it so I'm not planning on driving around the city checking things out! She apparently wants to keep her wine out of the larger chains so it is tough for me to know what smaller, nice, friendly, 'family' type liquor stores are around!

[davidI]

Originally posted by tictactoe2004
Willow Park... in willow park village... they even have their own wine tasting show on TV

Thanx, unfortunately she wants to keep the wine out of the chains. I'm hoping for more 'family' type stores like 'Sally's Wine Spirits and Beer Ltd.' in Strathcona.

[R-Audi]

Willow Park is a family owned chain of 12 stores in Calgary. The main store is also the largest private Liquor store in Western Canada. How many other stores in Calgary have a Sommelier on staff?? Most of the small family stores purchase their wares from WP, as they are also a distributor....Also, not sure if you have looked into this, but I beleive any liquor carried has to go thru the Alberta Liquor Board, and be approved...(and taxed appropriately!)
If she is smart, and the wine is good enough, WP would be the place to go.
If you want a contact there, pm me...

[ecstasy_civic]

Originally posted by davidI


Thanx, unfortunately she wants to keep the wine out of the chains. I'm hoping for more 'family' type stores like 'Sally's Wine Spirits and Beer Ltd.' in Strathcona.

Theres a family owned liquor store down the street from my house in Harvest Hills, PM , im a regular there

[davidI]

Originally posted by R-Audi
Willow Park is a family owned chain of 12 stores in Calgary. The main store is also the largest private Liquor store in Western Canada. How many other stores in Calgary have a Sommelier on staff?? Most of the small family stores purchase their wares from WP, as they are also a distributor....Also, not sure if you have looked into this, but I beleive any liquor carried has to go thru the Alberta Liquor Board, and be approved...(and taxed appropriately!)
If she is smart, and the wine is good enough, WP would be the place to go.
If you want a contact there, pm me...

Yea, like I said she apparently wants to avoid the 'chains'.

I agree with you that it would be the way to go but it is her business! I think her current concern is that she doesn't have the production to keep up with a larger chain such as WP and she'd rather have a tight hand on things....which is easier with individual stores than a distributor such as WP.

Thanx though!

[rmk]

i think the only way your going to be able to get a good "feel" for which stores you are after is to actually go out there on foot and do the detective work yourselves. i live in oakridge and there are quite a few upscale independent stores around here, but its not exactly a poor area by any means. depending on your price point, and given the fact it is wine, i would try and stick to areas in the city where there is a demend for wine, wine and not 40's (as you would say). the areas you've mentioned are about right. pitching the product to willow park or co-op even would be a great idea. i would seriously contemplate that idea.

in my area, off the top of my head there is j.webb in glenmore landing (a good bet, being that it's across from pumphill, bayview), spirits of oakridge and willow park and co-op nearby. the first two are very classy joints.

on a sidenote, i don't think spirits ever closes, they seem to be open at all hours.

good luck!

[rmk]

another idea would be to contact the city and get an "income map" of the city which generally states which communities have the highest income brackets. if this interests you, i think my dad has one kicking around his office.

best

[davidI]

Originally posted by rmk
another idea would be to contact the city and get an "income map" of the city which generally states which communities have the highest income brackets. if this interests you, i think my dad has one kicking around his office.

best

I've got all that done and already have 7 locations mapped with 10 minute driving zones circling each. Those last locations I'm looking for are just the higher income areas or areas bridging the gaps for higher income areas so that the the entire city will be within 10 minutes of a store retailing her product. Anyways, I asked around and found a quality store in each area. Thanks all for your help.

[AllGoNoShow]

Uhhh, you could ask my parents :P, They bought aroudn 4g of wine last summer, I'm assuming they are getting low again, might be interested in a bulk sale :P

[Dope Dealer]

Wine Cottage in Penny Lane and Bankers Hall.

[SiG Baby]

Crowfoot liquor store in crowfoot carries a wide varity of high quality wines. Also they do wine cooking and tasting classes, so your bound to get good exposure.

[davidI]

Originally posted by SiG Baby
Crowfoot liquor store in crowfoot carries a wide varity of high quality wines. Also they do wine cooking and tasting classes, so your bound to get good exposure.

They already sell the product

My reports done so thank you all for your help!!!

[sexualbanana]

Originally posted by davidI
If anyone lives around ..., Ogden, ...

Originally posted by davidI
All I'm basically hoping to do is give the lady who markets the company a few names of nicer establishments in wealthier districts...

[T-Dubbs]

Originally posted by R-Audi
Willow Park is a family owned chain of 12 stores in Calgary. The main store is also the largest private Liquor store in Western Canada. How many other stores in Calgary have a Sommelier on staff?? Most of the small family stores purchase their wares from WP, as they are also a distributor....Also, not sure if you have looked into this, but I beleive any liquor carried has to go thru the Alberta Liquor Board, and be approved...(and taxed appropriately!)
If she is smart, and the wine is good enough, WP would be the place to go.
If you want a contact there, pm me...

i work there, shoot me a PM
we probly have one of the best wine selections in canada, and the most knowledgable staff around.

[davidI]

Originally posted by sexualbanana

Average household income in the postal code prefix of that surrounding area is over 70k...enough to buy wine.

[TomTom]

try the place in strathcona square, nice wine place in there.