It’s no secret that craft beer has been rising in popularity, especially over the last year. However, even with all of the buzz it’s creating, the Brewers Association says that craft beer still only accounted for 6.5 percent of the volume of all beer sold in 2012. It’s a rising star, just not a hugely profitable one in major markets… yet.
We recently read an article on Boston.com about a couple in Belmont, MA that opened a craft beer store called Craft Beer Cellar. The shop opened in 2010 and today they have more than 1,000 beers from 350 breweries. It’s been so popular in their area, that Craft Beer Cellar now has franchises operating in Winchester, Westford, Braintree and Newton Centre, MA. But they don’t want to stop there – they’re now trying to bring their business model to places like New Hampshire, Vermont, Florida, St. Louis and Seattle.
Does this idea actually have legs? Bottle shops aren’t as popular as wine shops and liquor stores but more have been popping up around the country with the rise in popularity of craft beer.
Although it’s a risky endeavor, if anyone can bring beer stores into the mainstream, it’s Craft Beer Cellar. Why? Because they’re first and foremost craft beer lovers. They know how important it is to build and cultivate relationships and their authentic enthusiasm for craft beer culture is contagious. They are dedicated to great customer service and love engaging their customers through social media. And, to quote Boston.com, “Their goal is to make people think about whether to buy a Pretty Things Jack D’Or or a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale as carefully as they would wrestle between a cabernet or a merlot.” The Craft Beer Cellar knows that education is key and they love helping customers find unique beers they will be happy with.
Do you think it’s possible that beer shops will eventually become the norm? We seriously hope so.