PLCB on Columbus (Delaware) Ave.

[rlibkind]

Thanks to the tip in the other Savvy Somelier topic, I stopped by the new store down by Ikea today.

When I dropped by at 11 a.m. there were more than half a dozen folks still busy stocking the shelves. But based on what I saw, not nearly as extensive a selection as I had hoped, though far better than my local shop (Fairmount Ave. & 20th). Predictably, I was disappointed by paucity of selections among Alsatian and German rieslings, and absolutely no Finger Lakes rieslings. There seemed to be more West Coast rieslings than Alsation and German combined.

That said, I'll give them time to develop their stock based on what sells and customer requests.

[philadining]

... and absolutely no Finger Lakes rieslings.

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Sorry, this is a little OT, but thanks to your posts here rlibkind, I grabbed some Weimer Gewurtz while up near the finger lakes this weekend. Hope some of that trickles more regularly into the stores down this way! Couldn't find Frank Gewurtztraminer anywhere I went, just plenty of empty space behind shelf tags. Settled for some more of his dry Riesling, which I love. Looking forward to trying the Weimer.

[g_camper]

Somewhat OT - My favorite exchange in a PLCB - I was looking for Cloudy Bay Sauv. Blanc in Media's store (now gone). Asked where the New Zealand wine was. Reply was "I don't think New Zealand makes wine." No kidding. Sure enough - not a drop in the whole store.

I am hoping that the new city store will be better.

[Deidre Costello]

Just some background on why New York wineries are not well represented in Pa. A few years back we had a vendor, Paul Geist, who distributed wines from the small New York Finger Lake wineries. Evidently New York changed their shipping laws that prevented the direct shipment into Pennsylvania effectively putting the vendor for these small wineries out of business. This has caused serious issues in our ability to obtain wines from New York’s Finger Lake region. Most of these wineries would have to ship their wines through a third party New York licensed company to go through a licensed common carrier. It ended up being too costly for these small wineries to do business. I believe this is part of the law before the Supreme Court concerning direct shipping. In addition I heard of a possible amendment to New York’s Alcohol Beverage Control law that would ease direct shipments for these wineries if it passes.

As for the soft opening at Delaware Ave. hopefully the selections will increase as more product are brought into this location.

As for the Media location, evidently we’re still working on finding a new location since we lost the lease at our prior location hopefully staffed with more knowledgeable employees. I hear a Super Store is coming to Springfield sometime this summer.

[rlibkind]

Just some background on why New York wineries are not well represented in Pa. [ . . . . ]  New York changed their shipping laws that prevented the direct shipment into Pennsylvania effectively putting the vendor for these small wineries out of business.  This has caused serious issues in our ability to obtain wines from New York’s Finger Lake region. [. . . .]

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Thanks for the background. That explains a lot.

[KatieLoeb]

I took a few minutes for a reconaissance mission this afternoon down to the new Wine & Spirits shop off Snyder Ave. down by the Ikea today. The Chairman's Selections still haven't arrived, but some might be in by this weekend, and store Manager Drew assured me that all would be in place by 4/15, which in addition to being tax day, is the official Grand Opening of the store. I believe the Chairman will be in attendance as well for that opening. Unfortunately, it's on a night when I'll be working so I won't be able to make it. But the store has a great selection, great prices and lots of the larger format liquor bottles for sale. I'll probably check back over the weekend and see if anything has arrived yet and report back.

Over and out...

[jmbrightman]

kudos to my south philly neighbor, PA state rep Bob Donatucci (chairman of the Liquor Control Commission), for his efforts to get that store opened.

[Sfuffy]

kudos to my south philly neighbor, PA state rep Bob Donatucci (chairman of the Liquor Control Commission), for his efforts to get that store opened.

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I'd be curious to know how the PLCB decides where to open new stores (and what type of stores they will be - Outlet, Premium Collection, Regular). Do they have some objective criteria? Do they conduct market research? How much do they respond to politicians' whims (being Philadelphia I have no doubt that the developer of this butt-ugly strip mall has some influence over a State Senator/Representative or two)?

And similarly, how do they decide to close a store? The unremarkable store at Columbus and Washington seems redundant being only a mile or so from the new one. (I don't see the even closer store at Snyder and Swanson showing up on the PLCB web site - did it close?)

Edited April 1, 2005 by Sfuffy (log)

[KatieLoeb]

kudos to my south philly neighbor, PA state rep Bob Donatucci (chairman of the Liquor Control Commission), for his efforts to get that store opened.

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I'd be curious to know how the PLCB decides where to open new stores (and what type of stores they will be - Outlet, Premium Collection, Regular). Do they have some objective criteria? Do they conduct market research? How much do they respond to politicians' whims (being Pennsylvania this is a given)?

And similarly, how do they decide to close a store? The unremarkable store at Columbus and Washington seems redundant being only a mile or so from the new one. (I don't see the even closer store at Snyder and Swanson showing up on the PLCB web site - did it close?)

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Snyder and Swanson closed to open the bigger better outlet.

[Sfuffy]

Snyder and Swanson closed to open the bigger better outlet.

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Thanks Katie!

I actually just took a trip down there and saw it for myself. I have to say I was somewhat underwhelmed. It uses the same unimaginative signage and inefficient shelving and layout as every other state store. Excepting the Premium Collection (which is still a work in progress), the rest of the store seemed rather limited in its selection of regular wines and no bigger than the average store. It is smaller than both the Franklin Mills outlet store and the Chestnut Street superstore. One would have hoped that with this brand new built-to-order space they might have tried for something more special.

Despite the Chairman's yeoman efforts, it seems that the bureaucratic DNA still thrives in some parts of the PLCB.

[Andrew Fenton]

I was hoping to head down there tonight after doing some errands: where on Columbus Ave is the store?

[KatieLoeb]

I was hoping to head down there tonight after doing some errands: where on Columbus Ave is the store?

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Andrew:

If you turn right onto Snyder Ave. from Colombus then right again at the first little strip mall it's right there behind Famous Dave's.

[mrbigjas]

i was down there on sunday--liter of bombay $19.99. now that's not a bad deal.

[Jeff L]

Despite the Chairman's yeoman efforts, it seems that the bureaucratic DNA still thrives in some parts of the PLCB.

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