[Homebrew Shop] The Homebrew Centre

[Dunkel]

Thanks for all the encouraging words guys. The website isn't working yet (I haven't finished it!), but the address is correct.

@ Simon_  The plan is to have liquid yeast in stock - I'm hopefully starting on Saturday with White Labs WLP001, WLP002 and WLP004.

@ DCBrewing  No, I'm not Hambleton Bard's exclusive Irish agent. I think my main supplier, Homebrew West is. It's coincidental that they happen to be in Ireland on 15th, so it's been organized that they will be in the shop.

[mick02]

Good luck with it. Looking forward to seeing what you've got to offer.

All the best,
Mick

[johnrm]

Congrats Kevin and best of luck.

[Parky]

This is great news Kevin, wishing you the very best of luck with the new venture!!!

Will certainly be dropping in next Saturday to pick up some WL002 and a few other bits and pieces.

[Dr Brown Ale]

Good luck!

[Will_D]

Great news Kevin. Good luck with the venture.

[Dunkel]

OK, starting with a disappointment. I won't have any liquid yeast until probably Saturday 22nd  . And I may not have any hops until then either.

   Oh well, only one way to go from here - onwards and upwards!

[cruiscinlan]

Website  thehomebrewcentre.ie

Unit F,
Grand Canal Place,
James's Street,
Dublin 8                            30 metres from the Guinness Storehouse

Opening Hours
Tuesday to Saturday - 12:00 to 17:00

Looks good, only suggestion I'd make would be to open later and close later.  5pm doesn't give people finishing work much lee-way to call in and browse. 

In fact I don't get why a lot of specialist shops don't change their hours to 1pm-8pm to catch lunch and after-work trade, and take their own break in the mid-afternoon lull.

[Leann ull]

Probably because they have a life outside of commercial ventures! 8PM! Maybe one night every fortnight or month for beer tasting or educational evening etc?

[Dr Brown Ale]

Fair enough comment CH, but Mottley opens late every Thursday and Friday, and opens Saturday too - business isn't like the old days any more.

I know I, and many like me, would never be able to make it to town 9-5 Mon-Fri, but I can -and do- make it to Ian's shop on Thursday, Friday or even Saturday morning pre-Brew to get items or ingredients I may need.

Broken Hydrometer on a Saturday? No bother, head over to Mottley! Need a couple hundred grams of some speciality malt for a last minute brew? Ah - Mottley is open!

That kind of thing.

Not to sound like a prick, but "having a life" is not possible when trying to get a business off the ground - you have to give your customers what they need, not tell them what they want - or else you'll find out very quickly that they aren't actually your customers, they are the competitions customers.

And friendly and all as the Brewing community is, those businesses -are- in direct competition with each other.

Unless it's a labour of love, of course.

[Simon_]

Yeah even staying open til 6 a few days a week would enable alot more of the 9-5 people to drop in. And I'd say the majority of Dublin brewers are 9 to fivers

[auralabuse]

Yeah, I'm with beechlawn on this.  The opening hours advertised will completely exclude nearly everyone working normal business hours. Defo at least one day a week could be a later opening and closing so people could plan.

[Leann ull]

Tbh I never have any requirement for last minute stuff as all my brews are planned well in advance and never really have a need to nip down anywhere for anything, I was caught short once and a call out on the local whats ap group sorted me out.
Most of my buying is done between the hours of 10 and midnight all online  and to me that's where a huge part of the business is. I know its not practical to pay €5 delivery charge for a €1's worth of grain
Surely the simpler answer than expect vendors to open all hours for is to ask a pal in your local club using whats ap who may be going down at lunch time to pick up what you need and collect it from them on the way home?
I do that for GCB'ers at the various vendors all the time.
I commend Ian for opening late but that's his personal choice.
My point is sitting in a shop until 8 every night with only a couple of customers some nights and getting home at 9 on Winter evenings can't be fun if you have family and I wouldn't ask anybody to do that,
As I said above make an arrangement for one late night every couple of weeks, if there is a demand for it then and it was profitable then I'm sure it would be extended.

[Qs]

I think a family trip to the zoo must be in order soon.

[Leann ull]

Yeah looking for the homebrew shop said it was round here somewhere