First, for those of you who have asked, Amy L. was the winner of the bonus bottle of Scott Sampler’s CCGP Super Cali Cab 2013. Congrats, Amy! For everybody else, we’re planning bonus giveaways to attach to future e-mail offers. Watch this space!
I’ll admit it. This week got away from me entirely. Trying to keep up with the state of restrictions, and suggested guidelines, is getting older than I am, so there will likely be a status report from us each week until full re-opening (which is still a difficult concept to visualize). We are even looking into re-launching our in-store tasting program, hopefully, in July (maybe June?). If I’m being totally honest, I’m not looking forward to it. It’s been a particularly trying year and a half, which we here have all worked straight through, and it’s going to be tough allowing people in the shop, to wander aimlessly killing time, while we try and maintain our sanity, and keep the business reasonably healthy. It’s been nice being able to tell people- largely time killing non-spending tourists and randoms- not to paw at our products, and impede our ability to restock, while they slowly finish their coffees (and formerly phone calls). It doesn’t matter how big they smile on the way out, no business can pay the rent with a bag full of hearty thank yous. It’s going to be a rough transition, and while we haven’t committed to any one specifically, we are entertaining all manner of concept to fundamentally change the way our little shop operates. More on that as developments unfold.
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So, for this week, we’re still on this schedule (1-8pm daily): Monday – Thursday: pick-up, delivery, and counter service only (no browsing) Friday – Sunday: open for in-store shopping
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As per usual, we rarely close at the posted time, so it’s always worth a call if you think it’s getting late.
As my above admission indicates, I have no idea what the weekly special will be, quite literally thinking it through right now. After that high octane whiskey offer, I suppose it makes sense to go lighter, probably wine, maybe something pink or orange… maybe both. We just got the new vintage of Kelley Fox Nerthus, her brilliant orange wine (skin contact white), whose latest release is even fresher and brighter than the last. We also recently unboxed the first officially designated Prosecco Rosé by Jeio, a delightful pink bubbly showing loads of dry red berry fruit, and a fresh clean finish. We’re still awaiting the new release(s) of most of our favorite canned wines, so that’s out for this round… what else….
What else? … It seems like a harmless two word query, but it’s one of the most brutal questions we get asked regularly. Example: a customer has asked a couple of questions, we have a fairly good bead on what kind of bottle(s) said customer might like to take home, and three or four options are mentioned and described that best fit the requested parameters. Without responding to any of those products, or adding any other notions, the customer asks, “What else?” This is a tough one. If you are not adding to the conversation, and simply asking for more of anything, it’s a lot like looking one of us dead in the eye and saying, “dance, monkey.” In my better moments, I’ll ask if there was something about any of the previous descriptions that sounded unappealing, or if there were other words they were hoping to hear. If not these, in what direction were they hoping to stray? But this is often when we find out that they weren’t listening at all, and “just want to see more options”. Is this what online shopping has done to the average consumer? Are they just scrolling through pages of inventory, but using a human as the mouse? The best one can usually do in this situation is wave a hand over the wall and say, “there’s lots to look at here, please let us know if you have any questions,” and go do some restocking.
Yeah, I know this isn’t my finest work: a middling improv at best, but if I could’ve afforded a guest solo by Robert Randolph you would’ve loved it. And for rambling without a plan, the deal to follow is still pretty good. How does this sound? One each of the aforementioned fresh orange and pink bottles at the mixed case discount (10%), or a 6-pack (3 each) of the same at double the discount (20%), plus a bonus 375ml of Dillon’s Rose Gin Liqueur? See below for the official numbers.
