Canada Update
Be cool or be cast out.
from the kjunglewires...
If drive-throughs work for coffee and doughnuts, why not for that other great Canadian staple -- beer? A drive-through lane -- the first in Ontario -- is being added to the Beer Store at 414 Wharncliffe Rd. S. in London as part of a test marketing project.
The new lane will operate much like a fast-food outlet. Customers will see a "menu" board of beers and order from a speaker box. They will drive to a window to pay for the beer and then pull up to a door, where Beer Store staff will place the beer in the trunk.
The Beer Store is testing the drive-through because customers have suggested it, Scott Simmons, vice-president of marketing and business development, said yesterday.
The Beer Store, owned by Molson, Labatt and Sleeman breweries, is renovating outlets and testing the drive-through to boost sales, Simmons said. "People have other choices. We want to give people reasons to choose beer." The Beer Store experimented with drive-throughs 15 years ago.
Lanes were installed at the Wharncliffe Road outlet and a handful of others, but they were dropped after a few years. "It wasn't used very much, to be frank," Simmons said.
But fast food drive-throughs have soared in popularity in recent years, especially at the Tim Hortons chain, so it seemed like a good time for the Beer Store to try the concept again, he said.
The Wharncliffe store was chosen for the test market because the space for the drive-through was available and London has traditionally been a strong beer market, Simmons said.
Steve Carroll, manager of the Wharncliffe Road store, said he is confident the drive-through lane will be a hit this time. "I think it will be popular with customers. People really like drive-throughs."
The new drive-through lane should be open for the Victoria Day weekend -- the unofficial kick-off of summer.
But there is one drawback. Customers won't be able to return empties because it will slow service.
from the kjunglewires...
If drive-throughs work for coffee and doughnuts, why not for that other great Canadian staple -- beer? A drive-through lane -- the first in Ontario -- is being added to the Beer Store at 414 Wharncliffe Rd. S. in London as part of a test marketing project.
The new lane will operate much like a fast-food outlet. Customers will see a "menu" board of beers and order from a speaker box. They will drive to a window to pay for the beer and then pull up to a door, where Beer Store staff will place the beer in the trunk.
The Beer Store is testing the drive-through because customers have suggested it, Scott Simmons, vice-president of marketing and business development, said yesterday.
The Beer Store, owned by Molson, Labatt and Sleeman breweries, is renovating outlets and testing the drive-through to boost sales, Simmons said. "People have other choices. We want to give people reasons to choose beer." The Beer Store experimented with drive-throughs 15 years ago.
Lanes were installed at the Wharncliffe Road outlet and a handful of others, but they were dropped after a few years. "It wasn't used very much, to be frank," Simmons said.
But fast food drive-throughs have soared in popularity in recent years, especially at the Tim Hortons chain, so it seemed like a good time for the Beer Store to try the concept again, he said.
The Wharncliffe store was chosen for the test market because the space for the drive-through was available and London has traditionally been a strong beer market, Simmons said.
Steve Carroll, manager of the Wharncliffe Road store, said he is confident the drive-through lane will be a hit this time. "I think it will be popular with customers. People really like drive-throughs."
The new drive-through lane should be open for the Victoria Day weekend -- the unofficial kick-off of summer.
But there is one drawback. Customers won't be able to return empties because it will slow service.
posted by kjungleboy at 10:47 AM
3 Comments:
Kjungleboy,
I believe this concept is already in place in the U.S. not sure will have to get more info for you. Be inpressed I got the Rush reference I was trained by experts.
No real info on community impact. I did not even find any funny stories, it just seems like a situation that would create funny incidents. Oh well.
http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/050107/store.shtml
http://lite.globalbx.com/Liquor_Stores/listing156096.html
http://www.powersliquor.com/
Sistor,
Of course you'd get the Rush reference. I'll omit any veiled reference to Scott here and tack it up to buKit's interest in the band. Funny thing, when I read your comment I thought you were referring to Rush Bimbo the commentator. DUH!!!
Thes types of stores have been around, at least in my neck of the woods, since I can remember. I recall them well in Michigan, as we used ot frequent them. In what may be a slight misnomer, they're called "party stores". My parents rarely, if ever, bought alcohol there, but they used to see gallons of milk in a plastic bag. I have no clue as to whether there was some difference in price as opposed to the standard gallon jug, but I remember going there on several occasions just to get milk.
They have them in Ohio as well, at least where my in-laws live.
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